The rose
by lyckan
Summary: Marrige-law challenge in a weird way...
1. In the darkness

**Hi everyone!**

I'm re-posting this fanfiction because... ah you know: spelling and grammar errors - a lot of 'em too… stuff you have problems with while writing in a second language…

But now I'm back to terrorize you all with my LM/HG obsession moahahaha and this time you'll find no grammar-errors or stuff like that in my story because my wonderful beta shyngr8 has taken care of that – without her I promise you, you'd go crazy because of my crappy English ;)

Ah – well, something about this fanfic then – It's a Hermione/Lucius fanfiction! Don't like that? Well what are you doing here? You should be off to read some ickly-sweetie Hermione/Harry fanfiction or something like that – maybe a Hermione/Ron fic.

Something about the whole idea:

Why? I like Lucius – I like Hermione… I like dangerous pairings, when SS/HG got boring I'd just had to find something new. Too bad there's so few LM/HG's out there in the fanfiction-world… but while waiting for more I just have to stick to DM/HG, if you can't have the father – take the son!  
If you happen to like my story and want some tip about where to find other LM/HG fics you're welcome to e-mail me or something… I can tip you right away about my beta's fic – go to her place: shyngr8 and checkout her fic: A Light in the Darkest Shadow.

Uhm… getting tired off listen to my babble hm? Okay – there's one more thing… or uhm two maybe…

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**Disclaimer:** Alright, alright, ALRIGHT! I don't own them – they belong to JK Rowling in all her might and glory… but I wish that Lucius could be mine though… yeah – I know "keep on dreaming girl"

**Disclaimer – again: **And the song people, written in _Italic_ style isn't mine neither – It belongs to UDO and the song is called In the darkness…

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I **DID** remind you that it's a Rated **R** story right? Not? Well it is and if you're too young don't read if you don't think you can handle it… In this chapter there's no violence but I plan to include that in future chapters – so be ware – cause what's a LM/HG without sex? Uhm… eh… did I say that?

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Alright ladies and gent's (If there's any around) now I proudly present my only fanfiction in English: The rose that bleed, and my first chapter: In the Darkness!

"Lemon drops anyone?"

(Silence)

"Well I thought not – enjoy this then!" 

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**In the darkness**

_Why am I here now?  
__What have I done?  
__Running on empty - I got nowhere to run_

_Can't get an answer  
__Can't get it right  
__Just try to make it  
__'till the end of the night_

The girl in the window, we all know her – Hermione Jane Granger, unsurpassed bookworm and know-it-all, friend of the boy who lived. A deep sigh escapes her lips, for at least the fifth time she glances through the window – and the only thing she's able to see is her own reflection.

Outside the rain is rattling on the windowpanes, it's a dark and stormy night in the middle of January, the once beautiful white snow on the ground has turned into sleet, the snowflakes have turned into heavy raindrops - the world around Hogwarts School of witchcrafts and wizardry is solemn and depressive.

"Meeeoow?" A large ginger cat accompanies the depressed girl in the window, his fur is tussled and all wet, and he's probably been outside, chasing rats.

"Oh Crooks… look at you, you're all wet!" Hermione petted her cat in disdain.

Crookshanks studied his mistress with large, orange eyes. She's been so busy lately and the large kneazle-relative cat was slightly worried for her – what's she been doing lately? Why didn't she tell him anything when he saw in her eyes that she needed someone to speak with? The ginger cat laid his massive head in Hermione's lap, the girl continued to pet him and at the same time stare through the window frame – she sighed once again.

"It's been a long time now Crooks – almost a year"

Ah! So that's what is bothering her? Crookshanks gave her a sympathizing stare. She stroked his head and let out a huge yawn.

"This is the day that Ron was hit by that spell – remember Crooks?" She asked calmly, her cat nodded slowly.

This was the day when her friend Ronald Weasley was hit by the Cruciatus curse, over, over, over and over again, he survived but was never ever the same person as before. Hermione threw one last glance through the window and smiled weakly:

"Oh come on Crooks – we should be off to perfect duty" Her cat yawned and stretched on the windowsill: "It's the dungeons today… maybe you'll find a tasty rat hm?"

The ginger cat fixed her with a stare that clearly told the girl that: 'I'm satisfied thank you'

"Well then, I'll see you later… I know you don't like the dungeons… and I'll tell you this, neither do I."

_Is there a way to avoid doing wrong?  
__Lead me away from the darkness  
__Light up my day show me where I belong  
__Please don't leave me all alone in the darkness_

Hermione watched her cat as he strode off to their common room. She smoothed her wrinkled skirt and fixed her glittering perfect bandage. This year, her seventh, she'd finally been made head girl, an honour she'd been hoping for since her first day at Hogwarts.

She made her way through the hallway and further down to the staircase that led the way down to the cold tomb-like place. She hated this area in the otherwise comfortable and charming castle, she hated the way that shadows thrown by her became grotesque and creepy because of the strange reflecting light those old-fashioned torches threw. The air chilled her to the bones, she could hear the dripping sound of water that splashed against the floor and crept along the walls.

_Far in the distance  
__There is night, there is day  
__Sounds are waving nets of dismay  
__Sometimes I'm stuck in a shocking delay  
__Like in a slow motion movie_

_I'm reaching out for something to hold  
__Life slips away in the cold - in the cold  
__My heart is so cold - my heart is so cold_

Suddenly she heard footsteps; creepy, heavy footsteps. She swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. This was Slytherin area and she was their blood enemy, a muggle-born witch whom was  
part-responsible for the fall of the dark lord, whom in the raging battles of last year killed many of their friends. She held a tight grip around her wand, prepared for the worst but no-one was in sight, not a living, breathing soul.

She let out a sigh of relief; just her imagination. Somehow it had become worse after the war. Was it some kind of schizophrenia? Hermione had no clue, but often she felt like someone watched her, followed her. She wasn't alone, she knew – many victims of the war suffered under psychological syndromes – most of them turned inwards and refused to associate with the world around them. One of those that seemed to walk in the darkness forever was Ron, her best friend amongst others, her sweet Ron – her fabulous Ron. He rested now at St. Mungo's together with others with his injures, she went there once but couldn't stand the pain – it was too much for her.

Hermione let the wand fall, she scanned the corridor, it lingered in darkness and she felt no urge to walk in to that darkness – if there were students in this corridor they would most likely be Slytherins and she didn't fancy meeting a bunch of seventh years here, all alone in the darkness.

_Why was I turned down?  
__What's going on?  
__I wish there was something that could have been done_

_How can I get there?  
__Where is the light  
__How can I make it?  
__'till the end of the night_

She spun on her heel, tonight she would skip her duty as head girl, who would care anyway? If these small Slytherin brats fancied a walk in these god forsaken tombs then she was not the one to stop them. She retreated towards the stairs, to safety in the head girls chambers, but she stopped dead in her tracks when someone drawled her name:

"Miss Granger? Fancy meeting you here… all alone"

_How can I turn darkness to light?  
__Leaving my fear in the darkness  
__Is there a way how can I overcome?  
__My restless nights and my fear - and my fear_

_In the darkness - in the darkness - in the darkness_

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Once again - thanks to my wonderful beta shyngr8 - you've done a terrific job!

I'd like to thank all those who reviwed this story last time - you'd realy inspred me to keep on writing

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Reviwe if you like - bounches of to write my next chapter


	2. Prowler

I've made it… uhm… **WE** made it - me and my beta! Thanks shyngr8!

Here it is – my newest chapter: Prowler :-)

**Disclaimer:** Nope not mine – not even Lucius even though I want him badly :-(

**Disclaimer:** Aw – this time the lyric belongs to Iron Maiden, they are the gods of heavy metal; you did know that – right? This song is called; prowler and where on their first album. You know the one where Paul Di'Anno where around as their vocalist… you didn't know that? Ah well – never mind!

Please enjoy this one :-)

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"Lemon drops?" **

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**Prowler**

_Walking through the city, looking oh so pretty,  
I've just got to find my way.  
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_See the ladies flashing. All there legs and lashes.  
I've just got to find my way._

Oh he remembered these corridors. He remembered the cold air, the moist smell of water on the walls. He remembered and loved it, loved the feeling of darkness, solitude and fear. Maybe something went terribly wrong in his childhood because his hunger for power, money and fear where insatiable… to be the one whom was feared was so sweet, so satisfying – his wicked mind appreciated the abusive power and the adrenaline that kicked through his veins when he saw fear in someone's eyes.

It was ironic actually, he, the dark lord's second in command, had made it out of Azkaban _and_ succeeded to keep his high positions in the ministry. That old fool Fudge _did_ actually just have fudge in his so-called-brain – the only thing it took for Lucius was some well placed money in the ministry's empty vaults, and some skilful small talks with Fudge.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard footsteps… light ones; probably a female or a young kid. Who could it be at this time of night? A prefect perhaps? His own son had just left for his patrol duties on the second floor, curious, he stopped in the shadow, not wishing to make his presence known just yet.

Whoever it was at the end of the corridor must have heard him because the black corridor went dead silent. Lucius spotted a pair of well-shaped legs, white socks and a uniform skirt – well it was a girl then. She stood there, wand in hand, and face hidden in darkness. He waited for her to make a move and finally she did, she spun on her heel and Lucius got an eyeful of brown curly hair.

He knew her – Hermione bloody Granger, famous sidekick to the bloody, fucking boy who apparently didn't want to die any time soon. But my, my, my… she'd grown since he last saw her. Her hips swept back and forth in an almost attractive way.

_Well you see me crawling through the bushes with it open wide.  
What you seeing girl?  
Can't you believe that feeling, can't you believe it,  
Can't you believe your eyes?  
It's the real thing girl._

"Miss Granger? Fancy meeting you here… all alone" he drawled in a bored tone, the girl spun around, her face wild and those delicate brown eyes open wide in fear. Lucius felt the adrenaline in his veins, and that well known and stormy feeling of power rushed through his brain.

Her wand was raised against him he noticed but didn't actually give a damn about that, she couldn't curse or kill him here – if she ever where capable of killing in cold blood.

He smirked down at her; she'd definitely made some healthy filling out, her figure was pure womanhood, her lips red and her eyes brown like chocolate. She wasn't a beauty like Lucius' dead wife, Narcissa, had been, but her innocent looks and that wild, brown and messy hair gave her a cute, almost adorable look – Lucius smiled a wicked smile.

"You bastard." She hissed and threw him a dirty look.

"My, my, my… such language, Granger, don't they teach you any manners in this school anymore?"

"What do you want?" She spat out, her brown eyes were burning with anger. Lucius merely chuckled and threw her an amused stare.

"Me? Well, _Granger_, not that it's any of your business, but I merely came to visit my son" Lucius measured her with his gaze and he saw how she twitched under its weight.

"You should be behind bars for all that I care, you evil creature!"

'Well, well, well' – she's almost yelling now Lucius thought amused as the witch spat hateful words against him, this was entertaining indeed – but it's just anger… Lucius wanted the fear he knew she'd buried deep down inside.

"You're forgetting your place mudblood." He purred and came closer, so close that her wand was directed at his throat – he smiled wickedly as her eyes reflected a flash of fear.

"Don't you dare call me that" She said and touched his throat with her wand.

"What will you do my pretty little mudblood? Curse me? Kill me? Go on then, do it…" Lucius drawled in his usual, bored tone, the girl before him didn't move an inch: "Or are you too noble for that kind of work, or too kind? Or maybe you're just too pure at heart, hm?"

In a flash he had her wand arm in a tight grip, he twisted and with a yelp she'd let go of her only weapon, it fell with a clatter to the ground. His other hand took a steady hold of her other arm and then he pined her against the wall – she found herself caught between the solid stone and his chest.

"Don't touch me, Mr. Malfoy! I'll scream. You'll regret this!" She hissed through clenched teeth, sweat and fear mixed with confusion and anger flashed in her eyes – Lucius could feel the power in the air, he laughed nastily and said with a velvet voice:

"And who will rescue you my little lioness? Some noble Slytherin perhaps? Or do you plan to scream until you'll wake the sleeping Gryffindors, far, far, far away in that tower of yours."

She stared at him and his lips twitched upwards, that anger was gone, just fear, sweet fear was in its place. He could feel her rushed heart, he could hear her bothered swallowing and he could smell the sweet scent of her breath as it came in irregular puffs.

"Oh no my little one – it's just you and me here… alone in the darkness, you aren't afraid of the darkness are you?"

"You'll regret this, Malfoy, you'll never get away with this – they'll find me and you'll rot away in Azkaban where you belong!"

He laughed, very well aware of the fact that it was a lifeless laugh, cold and cruel, she thought that he would kill her. Stupid Gryffindors and their strange longing to be a martyr and die the heroic death, he wouldn't kill her, not even hurt her… badly. He'd just made a very important decision.

"Oh but little one I'm not going to kill you. You see, I have thought of a better use for you and I'll need you in a living state."

He moved forward and buried his nose in her thick and curly hair. Her scent was like a drug to him, the smell of an innocent child, the smell of strawberries and flowers. She shuddered under him, not aware of what his next step might be. He chuckled deep down in his throat.

"My little one – you have no idea how helpful you've been in a very hard decision." He breathed in her ear, she struggled under him, trying to break free… and he let her.

She sprinted towards the stairs and he watched her escape with an amused look upon his face as he called after her:

"See you around, miss Granger."

_Got me feeling myself and reeling around,  
Got me talking but feel like walking around.  
Got me feeling myself and reeling a...  
Got me talking but nothing's with me...  
__Got me feeling myself and reeling around._


	3. A new law

Alright – a new chapter, **yay**!

As usual – thanks to my wonderful beta shyngr8 what would a poor girl from Sweden do without you correcting my grammar and spelling errors?

**Disclaimer: **NO, _NO_, _**NO**_ – they're NOT mine… JK – are you sure that I can't by Lucius?

**Disclaimer:** And the lyric isn't mine neither, it belongs to eurorhythmic's and is called "Sweet drams" but you listen too me folks – their song is good, but Merlyn Manson's cover is so MUCH better…

Enjoy (as usual) and this time I won't offer you a lemon drop – poor Albus, nobody likes his candy… **

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**Sweet dreams – a new law**

_Sweet dreams are made of this  
__Who am I to disagree?  
__Travel the world and the seven seas  
__Everybody's looking for something_

Hermione didn't know how she'd reached her room, her heart beat hard in her chest, and she swallowed against her dry throat. He had frightened her; she hadn't felt that fear in ages, not so strong – not so living… not since the war, not since her lonely walk in Salazar Slytherin's tomb.

Pictures flashed before her eyes: blood, suffering – pain! She had seen it all, because she was there when the injured came to the hospital. Under the war there were two kinds of people, those who become warriors… and those, like her who took care of those who were injured.

She hadn't gone with Ron and Harry when they went with the others in the order to fight the final battle. She had remained at the hospital, she wanted to take care of those poor people who were injured… but the hospital was attacked and she had no other choice but to follow the warriors.

Hermione made her way to the shower, and after that to bed, she was tired, exhausted. She heard a soft: "meooow" and then a soft thud, her cat purred and crawled into her arms. She smiled and kissed the top of his head:

"Good night, Crooks."

_She walked in shadows; she recognised this place, the tombs of Salazar Slytherin – her heartbeat became louder, they where closing up – soon there would be no return, no escape. Her grip around her wand became almost painful. Around her there were loud whispers, threatening voices, where were they? She wasn't supposed to reach their headquarters all alone – she wouldn't stand a chance._

_Suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel, she heard cries, hexes and curses – her legs felt like jelly and the copper smell of blood reached her nostrils, this was the battlefield – far, far away from her home, her parents… this might be her doom._

_She reached the end of the tunnel and found herself standing on a platform. Underneath she saw the raging battle – she knew, this was the final destination… she'd reached Salazar Slytherin's grave complex. _

_Where was Harry? Ron? Lupin? Her eyes scanned the huge hall, but she couldn't find them, everything was just a muddle of screaming and cursing witches, wizards and death eaters in their black robes. She had to find them! She had to… please god, please don't say that they are dead, please! Suddenly her eyes caught a red prick in the ocean of people, Ron! On his side she recognised Harry, Lupin, Mad-eye Moody and Albus Dumbledore – the mighty old wizard kept the death eaters at bay; they made their way through the hall – their goal… Hermione saw him then, the dark lord._

_Her eyes tracked them and suddenly her heartbeat stopped, one of the death eaters raised his wand, he yelled a curse – meant for Harry… but the spell hit… _

"_Ron! No! RON!" _

_The redhead fell to the ground; Hermione was on her way down – no matter the cost! Her Ron! They've hurt him, she'd make them pay – yes, they'll suffer! Her eyes fixed on the fallen redhead, he was hit again, his body cramped – she was close to tears._

"_And where do you think you're going, **mudblood**?" _

_She spun around, wand raised but the curse hit her – she fell screaming to the ground. _

She awoke screaming – her arms were wrapped around her pillow, she had kicked off the blanket in her sleep and she herself was almost lying on the floor. That dream… she hadn't dreamt it for months now… but then… 'Lucius Malfoy.' she thought grimly…

Bastard…

She hated him!

------------o------------ **At the ministry of magic **------------o------------

_Some of them want to use you  
Some of them want to get used by you  
Some of them want to abuse you  
Some of them want to be abused_

Cornelius Oswald Fudge, the Minister of Magic was troubled at the moment… he re-read the scroll in his hand and sighed. Often he told himself that he came up with this idea because he wanted to protect the wizard world, but this law – this law wouldn't be popular amongst the muggle born and half-bloods – neither would it be appreciated by the pure-bloods… but god damn it! Something had to be done, this year 20 of the newborn in the wizard world became squibs!

There was a knock on his door, Fudge gave a flick of his wand and the door opened. He sighed when he saw who his visitor was – Lucius Malfoy.

The blond wizard stalked across the room and offered himself a seat without permission; Fudge growled in his throat, sometimes this man forgot his place. Malfoy gave him a daring look and Fudge lowered his stare.

"Ah Cornelius… my friend… I'm here to talk about that new law of yours."

"I know what you are going to say, Lucius; I know you don't like the idea… I kno-"

"Clam down, Cornelius, I'm here because I would like to congratulate you on a very good idea."

"You… you what? Why?" Cornelius mouth hung open, the blond wizard laughed.

"Well of course – we don't want any more squibs now do we? And I need a new wife." Lucius voice was perfectly clear, the poor minister was dumbfounded, here was the man whom was accused to be the dark lord's second in command – sitting in his office and telling him that a law that forced pure-bloods to marry muggle born was a brilliant idea – and that _he_ also wanted to marry someone with muggle offspring – what has the world come to?

"Listen carefully to me, Fudge, I can give you support from the pure-bloods side, I can give you the support you need to bring this," Lucius long, pale fingers gripped around the scroll that Fudge for the moment hell in his hand: "bring _this_ to reality – without that support you'll never get this to work."

Fudge, whom through the years has learned how this man worked, knew that nothing Lucius offered came for free – there was always a price, always something he wanted in return. The minister of magic sighed deeply and said:

"What's your price, Lucius? What do you want in return?"

"Clever, Fudge, very clever." Lucius smirked and took the scroll from Cornelius: "I want some small changes in this law – if I can make these changes you'll have full support from the pure-bloods side."

"And these changes would be?"

Lucius smirked in triumph and from that moment Cornelius knew that no matter the changes, Lucius would win this – the ministry needed his money, after the war every thing was in ruins and the ministry of magic was in a deep financial crisis.

The blond wizard withdrew his wand and touched the scroll once, twice and --pop-- the text started to change, paragraph after paragraph until it was almost a new law. Fudge swallowed; if he set this to reality Dumbledore would fry him alive over open fire…

"Oh – minister, I almost forgot, St. Mungo's hospital needed to be re-built, right?"

"Dumbledore will kill me for this… but… I have to save the wizard kind… alright Lucius you win."

"As always my friend – as always… please sign here then."

Fudge picked up a feather pen and the ink-pot, slowly he wrote his name: _Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic_. Lucius smirked. Satisfied, he left the room.

_Sweet dreams are made of this  
__Who am I to disagree?  
__Travel the world and the seven seas  
__Everybody's looking for something_

_Some of them want to use you  
__Some of them want to get used by you  
__Some of them want to abuse you  
__Some of them want to be abused_

------------- **At Hogwarts school of witchcrafts and wizardry on month later **-------------

Hermione yawned as she stretched on her bed and crumbled to the floor. She half crawled, half walked to the shower in the bathroom. After a while in the hot flowing water she came to her senses and was fully awake. Dripping of hot water, she made her way to the mirror to brush her teeth. Still wet she began with the hopeless mission which was her hair. After a while, it finally looked okay so she put down her brush.

She rummaged through her room and found her school uniform. She put it on and began to pack her books and notes in her old, green and worn-out school bag. After she made sure that Crookshanks bowls were filled with food and water she went for the door.

She checked her watch, gesch, she had overslept again. Cursing her old clock radio that was broken for some strange reason, she ran through the corridors – if she didn't get on time to breakfast she'd maybe miss the daily prophet.

Why Hermione was so interested in the daily prophet was not the fact that they had just announced for a new journalist, or because she was immoderately fascinated by the newest sport minister. No, Hermione was looking for more information about that horrible law the ministry (according to the rumours) had put into action.

She reached the great hall almost out of breath, there was no sign of the owls that brought the daily prophet – she checked her watch – good, she was on time.

"Oi! Hermione!" She gazed over the hall and found her two best friends there, Ginny and Harry… she found herself searching for Ron… and stopped dead in her tracks, it hurt… she'd always forget.

She stalked towards her friends, Harry had his arm around Ginny, they where such cute couple. Hermione was happy for their sake… Harry needed Ginny and Ginny needed Harry. She sighed, if Ron were with them she'd maybe be sitting by his side and have his arm around her. Before the war he'd kiss her for the first time, he'd said he loved her and… she loved him. He promised that after the war they'd be together… after the war. This was after the war, but they weren't together because he was at the hospital, incapable of recognizing her.

"We saved a seat for you." Harry grinned towards her and fixed her with his intense green stare. She looked into his eyes; they were hurt and sad – broken. Maybe Ginny would make him better in time, but Hermione knew that he blamed himself for what happened to Ron, and he always would.

"Thank you – no post yet?" She asked and slumped down at Harry's right.

"Nope, but I doubt that all that talk about that law is true. If you ask me, it's just Malfoy-bullshit." The black haired boy served himself some pumpkin juice and a piece of toast.

"Maybe… but I'm worried." Hermione poured some tea in her cup and nibbled on a piece of toast with strawberry jam.

"Oh – my – god!" Ginny called and pointed – through the windows a huge swarm of owls were in sight, there had to be at least four hundred of them.

"What's all that about?" Harry questioned when a brown owl dropped a letter in his soured milk.

Hermione was quick enough to catch her letter in the air, Ginny's fell in her lap. If Hermione weren't mistaken every student in their sixth and seventh year did have themselves a letter – all of them the same. So did all of the teachers, Hermione snickered when she saw that professor Snape's landed in his coffee.

She had a hasty glance at the sender; it was from the ministry. Her heartbeat stopped for a mere second… this couldn't be… could it? With shaking hands she tore it open and read the message:

_I want to use you and abuse you  
__I want to know what's inside you  
__Hold your head up, movin' on  
__Keep your head up, movin' on  
__Hold your head up, movin' on  
__Keep your head up, movin' on  
__Hold your head up, movin' on  
__Keep your head up, movin' on  
__Movin' on!_

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_**§ Law 202 arranged marriages §**_

**§.** According to article 20, purebloods are called upon this law to find an appropriate wife/husband amongst the muggle born and half blood witches or wizards whom have reached appropriate age.

**§.** According to first item in article 20, half-bloods and muggle born have to obey the call of a pureblood – if not they will be sent to Azkaban.

**§.** Article 212, if a muggle born or a half-blood gets more than one proposal an investigation will be made. The pureblood witch/wizard with the best opportunities to support his/hers future wife/husband will be the one whose proposal leads to engagement.

**§.** Article 213, there will be no exceptions made but already completed marriages and only marriages, no engagements or other relations will be accepted.

**§.** According to first item in article 212, at least _one_ proposal must be made by every pureblood family, if not the ministry will choose one appropriate candidate and make a proposal for him/her. If they still refuse they'll have to pay a fine of 100 galleons to the ministry of magic and then obey the law. Under further struggle against the law an investigation will be made and a punishment will follow.

**§.** Article 200, the marriage has to produce at least_ one_ healthy child with magical talents.

**§.** According to the second item in article 20, when the proposal has been made the couple will meet twice a week under a cycle of four weeks – in the fifth week the ceremony has to take place.

_Further information is available in the reception of the ministry_

_Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic_

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She blinked once, twice… this was… this was insanity! They couldn't do this… could they? She was trembling, of all the horrible things she was expecting of this law, this… _THIS_ highly transgressed her worst fears. This law wouldn't take any consideration to the muggle born or half-bloods, they would be driven over like they were toys or pretty gifts.

"They can't mean this, it's… IT'S AWFUL!" Ginny stood up and waved her letter in the air, as if her piece of paper was a sword. Her face was red and her eyes raging with anger: "They're treating us like we are animals for sale!"

"Ginny, Ginny – clam down… you are a pure-blood for heaven's sakes!" Hermione growled. She tried to remain under control: "You could send a proposal to Harry tomorrow morning and the two of you would live happily ever after."

"You're right, 'Mione" Harry said in a low tone: "But what about _you_?"

"Me? Don't be ridiculous, Harry." Hermione tried to laugh, but it sounded false and dead: "Who would like to marry me?"

"Some one that might want to hurt you." Harry's eyes showed great concern, and deep down inside Hermione knew that he'd just said the eight words that she herself was thinking.

She looked around, every where there was angry cries and high pitched voices that accused the ministry of animal trade with humans and butchering… well… almost _everywhere_ she thought grimly.

Around the Slytherin table it was perfectly quiet, just like they'd received a note that read: "Today the sun will go down and you will go to bed."

"Children!" Albus Dumbledore called, the hall went silent: "This is a great shock indeed. I myself didn't know of this new law! But you listen to me – I'll do everything in my power to stop it. I'll leave this instant and speak to those fools in the ministry."

The hall started talking again, the "buzzing" sound of hundreds voices echoed against the walls, Hermione didn't doubt that Dumbledore would do everything in his power to prevent this law, but she highly doubted that he could do anything about it.

"Ah, and one more thing children! The day's classes will be cancelled because of this event. Now try to enjoy your meal."

_Sweet dreams are made of this  
__Who am I to disagree?  
__Travel the world and the seven seas  
__Everybody's looking for something  
_

_Some of them want to use you  
__Some of them want to get used by you  
__Some of them want to abuse you  
__Some of them want to be abused_

_I'm going to use you and abuse you  
__I'm going to know what's inside  
__Going to use you and abuse you  
__I'm going to know what's inside you_

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Ah... some space until next cahpie will be here - I've reacently e-mailed it to my beta so it'll soon be here...


	4. The Proposal

**HI! **Missed me? – hope so! 

Either way – here's my fourth chapter… **yay**!

And I'd like to thank my beta of course, cause without her this story would've been close to impossible to read… ah, maybe not that bad – but you'd be frustrated.

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Hmmm… -ah- I'd also like to thank my reviewers; it's nice to know that you're not alone out there with your LM/HG obsession.

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And now the not-so-funny-part:

**Disclaimer:** This is cruel, over and over and over again I'll have to admit that JK are the one and only parent to Harry and co.

**Disclaimer:** And the lyric then – belongs to Edguy… terrific band by the way – and the song is named The Key to my fate

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Right… ehm – what are you waiting for?

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**The Proposal  
**

_Am I totally blind this time when I'm dreaming'  
the dreams that I fear, some call it nightmare  
And some call it life, what is the sense of  
_

_Existing in here  
And I think of the sadness when I'm dreaming' of  
Leaving' the pain I don't get all that madness  
and it drives me insane_

The weeks passed her by, but there was no sign of this ridiculous law anywhere. Slowly everything went back to normal, Hermione's dreams were once again about what they should be about; she dreamt about the potions essay and other school subjects. She was up late at night, studying for the ancient runes test the next day when she fell asleep over her desk in her room.

Five past, seven she awoke, thanks to her _new _clock radio which was making awful noises. She got up grumbling that when she got out of school, she would sleep until she awoke on her own accord. She began her usual morning ritual; took a shower, brushed her teeth and her hair, put on some clothes and served Crookshanks his food and then (as usual) ran to the great hall and for her breakfast.

But when she reached the great hall she felt that _this_ wasn't a usual day. With great concern she gazed over to the head table, her eyes fixed upon Dumbledore – he was pale and for the first time since the war he looked almost as old as he should be. Suddenly she discovered something at the head table that wasn't as it should be – a short, chubby man with a white beard and a strange hat sat at the edge of the table.

A bell rang in her head, this was one of the ministry employed… this couldn't be… could it? With cold hands and feet she made her way to Harry and Ginny – the two of them were silent. She swallowed against the lump in her throat; surely this wasn't about…?

"What's going on?" She whispered to Ginny, the redhead gave her a short glance and said with badly hidden anger in her voice:

"_That_" Ginny pointed at the chubby man at the end of the head table: "Is Raoul – my dad has told me about him, he is the one that carries out the dirty jobs for the ministry… this doesn't look too good."

"But… is it about that horrible law?" Hermione fell silent when Ginny didn't answer her: "Ginny is there anything you two haven't told me?"

"All the pureblood families were informed last week… we got a letter…" Ginny's eyes searched Hermione's like she wanted to be forgiven. "In that letter the ministry told us that we had to make the proposals and… and we did – all of us did."

"All of you?" Hermione said with shaking voice.

"We didn't want to tell you about it because we weren't sure… but Fred," Ginny sighed, "We know you wanted Ron, Hermione… but as the situation is for now he can't make a proposal to you, so Fred offered to do it."

Hermione's eyes widened, she didn't know what to believe, one part of her was relived that Fred had made a proposal to her and one part was screaming that it was so _wrong_! What if Ron woke up from his trance like state and she was married to his brother? And what about Fred, did he want to marry her? Didn't he already have a girlfriend?

"What about Angelina then?" Hermione asked in a dead voice.

"She understands, Hermione, she really does… Fred talked with her and she understood. She's a pureblood like us and that it's possible for her to make a proposal to one of her half-blood friends. It'll be alright, 'Mione, you'll see."

"Who is it that George and the others chose for their future brides then?" Hermione had an edge under that ironic voice, really – why didn't they _ask_ her about it?

"Charlie is already married – you know that right? He and Fleur moved to Paris this very summer." Ginny searched Hermione's eyes and the brown eyed girl nodded – she knew that.

"Ah well – then there's George… well he and Katie Bell got on _very_ well in their last year so when he heard about that law he kind of stormed home to her and proposed… he's such a romantic fellow that one." Ginny snorted and gave Harry a meaningful glare, the black haired boy smiled in agreement.

"And Bill – well we still had Alicia Spinnet to deal with in our friends circle so he made a proposal to her." Ginny paused once again and threw a look at Harry with love in her gaze, "And you must know for whom I made _my_ proposal."

"What about Percy?" Hermione whispered and was rewarded with a loud snort from Ginny's side.

"Oh, _that_ great bugger! Well he's been engaged with Penelope Clearwater for a while now."

"But isn't she…?"

"A pureblood? Yes." Ginny snorted once again, "But when they heard about this law they were married in a whoosh and we couldn't force him now could we?"

"Oh – My – God, something is happening over there!" Hermione pointed towards the head table where Raoul stomped forwards on his short legs and tapped Albus on the shoulder, the old wizard nodded slowly and rose from his seat – the hall went deadly silent.

"Children – it's in sorrow I have to admit that I have failed you all," Albus' voice died on his lips and his gaze was filled with sorrow when it searched each child's eyes, "I failed you because I couldn't stop what's to come – the ministry decided…"

The old wizard slumped back in his chair, he breathed heavily, Hermione feared that he might die – he looked so old, so tired, so sad… her heart filled with sympathy. He had tried, she knew that, tried his hardest for their sake, but he was old, weak and he had lost his respect in the ministry. Minerva walked over to his side and offered him some water. The old wizard declined what she offered and rose once again, cleared his throat and said with shaky voice:

"The ministry has decided that this _law_ that forces muggle born and half-bloods to marry purebloods without own opinion or will shall carry out this very day… and I thought we'd passed these ridiculous thoughts and valuations when Voldemort fell…"

There were murmurs amongst the crowd before the old wizard; clearly the dark lord's name still spread terror, even though he'd been dead for almost half a year. Hermione saw the tears in Dumbledore's eyes, she saw how much he despised what was to come, and she herself had to hold her tears at bay, and amongst the other students she saw tears and crying. This was a gloomy day.

"I'm so sorry – I can't do anything to stop this," Albus Dumbledore fixed them with his stare, "But if someone needs me I'll be there and I'll try once again because you've all been through enough sorrow and deserve a decent, happy life!"

There was applause amongst the students, some of them screamed and whistled. Even if the ministry had lost their faith in Albus Dumbledore the students hadn't and Hermione felt warm inside, she thought that this at least would comfort him a bit. Raoul cleared his throat and Albus Dumbledore rewarded him with a cold stare, if looks could kill Raoul would have been a dead man. Hogwarts headmaster raised one hand in the air and the hall was once again silent; he made a gesture towards Raoul and said with cold voice:

"This is Raoul. He's a ministry employee and he's here today to declare the proposals that have already been sent to the ministry."

Raoul stalked forward and the look upon his face told the students that he was a total arsehole who didn't care if they so were to marry a cave troll.

_Now hear me cry, I'm in quest  
Of the key to my fate  
I might be nigh to the key  
In the abyss of hate _

Annihilation in my brain  
What is the price that we will be to pay  
When will you lift our little poor souls  
When will you take us oh lord away

"Well then _students,_ I'm Raoul. It's nice to see so many potential young minds that later in their lives will be a great resource to our lovely ministry! Before I read these proposals for you, I'll just clarify what this law is good for, because I think that the headmaster here happened to miss that little detail, didn't he?"

He didn't get any answer, the hall remained silent and the ugly little man turned to the teachers but they where just as silent. At that moment you could have heard a needle fall to the floor.

"Have it your way then! I'll tell you anyway!" he spat, "The marriage law was created by our minister of magic to prevent the rising number of newborn squibs to become even higher. We've discovered that the magic is weak in the old families and that new blood has to be mixed with the old, only then the number of squibs will be stabilized to the normal. Therefore, all of you who are of proper age from this day will be an asset to the ministry in this noble task."

(**A/N**_ – I know that the proper age is 18, but I just have to include Ginny so I just pushed this line a bit further, and I don't know how old you have to be in England to marry, but in Sweden we are allowed to marry when we've passed fifteen so… what ever._)

There was no applause this time, the hall was dead silent and Hermione felt a lump in her throat. '_This is it,_' she thought, '_This is the end of my freedom. I'll be Mrs. Hermione Weasley in the future. I'll have seven billion babies and a husband that never grows up._'

'_Or_ _love you._' a cruel voice whispered in her head. She felt the tears in her eyes but tried to reason with herself. He's nice, he always makes me laugh and he's kind of cute with that red hair and those freckles. He may not love me but he'll treat me with respect and… _wait a minute_ respect from one of the Weasley twins? Oh I don't think so!

'_Oh get over it, Hermione. It could be worse_!' She sighed. She knew the voice was right… she could have been forced to marry Draco.

Her mind shivered at the thought, she wouldn't stand for it! Being forced to marry that Ferret would be her worst nightmare. And to have his children. '_Ugh what a terrible thought,_' to sleep with him and lose my virginity to him? '_That wouldn't happen. I would rather kill myself and laugh afterwards._'

_Oh when will we die  
Why to suffer to stand up right  
We are victims of time  
We have to fight till the end is in sight _

What's the reason to carry on  
What's the reason to fall  
After days of living hall  
After we had to crawl

"Under Ministry Law 202, article 20, Pansy Sophia Parkinson, pureblood witch, represents the Parkinson bloodline, daughter to Marwelton and Henrietta Parkinson, is hereby betrothed to Seamus Finnegan, half-blood wizard, son to the witch Helena Finnegan and the muggle Peter Finnegan."

"What the fuck! This is bullshit!" Seamus bellowed. Dean Thomas tried to clam him down and held him by his arm.

"Take it easy, Seamus." Dean tried but the raged wizard draw his wand and pointed it against the Slytherin girl who was smirking at his reaction.

"That devil spawn over there is trying to ruin my future. Fuck this! I'd rather die then marry her! This is bullshit!"

Seamus tore his arm loose from Dean and stormed out from the great hall. After him Pansy called in a mocking tone:

"Sweetie, where are you going? You'll see. We'll get on perfectly!"

The whole Slytherin table laughed. Hermione noticed that her fists were clenched and her eyes threw daggers at those laughing snakes. Together, with her, the whole Gryffindor table drew their wands, and if Albus Dumbledore hadn't bellowed that they should stay calm, only god knows what would have happened next.

"Hrm, hrm!" Raoul coughed and the attention was turned to him once again.

"Under Ministry Law 202, article 20, Vincent Coopey Crabbe, pureblood wizard, represents the Crabbe bloodline, son to Harvey and Penelope Crabbe, is hereby betrothed to Laura Madley, muggle born witch, daughter to Anne Johnson and Peter Madley."

There where a shriek at the Hufflepuff table. The blonde and cute witch that was Laura fainted in pure agony. Hermione gasped, that poor girl! Forced to marry Crabbe! Hermione knew the girl; she was always smiling and bouncing like there was something funny going on everywhere.

'_Well this isn't funny_!' Hermione thought with her heart in her throat, that poor girl!

"Horrible!" Ginny gasped: "Horrible! She was such wonderful person. I used to be paired with her during Astronomy."

"Ahem… these things happen. You there!" Raoul pointed at a third year boy in Hufflepuff, "Take that girl to your mediwitch. She may be in need of medical care."

The third year tried to lift the girl from the floor but didn't succeed. Soon he was helped by three more third and four years. Together they carried the unconscious girl through the door.

"Why didn't they cast _Mobilicorpus?_" Ginny questioned.

"They were probably in shock." Hermione answered quietly.

"Alright students, listen up now!" Raoul bellowed, "Under Ministry Law 202, article 20, Ginerva Louise Weasley, pureblood witch and represents the Weasley bloodline, daughter to Arthur and Molly Weasley, is hereby betrothed to Harry James Potter, half-blood wizard, son to Lily and James Potter."

This time there were no horrified screams or tears. There was applause and wolf whistles when Harry and Ginny kissed each other with fiery passion. The two of them could rest assure that at least their future would hold some happiness. Hermione smiled, this at least would be something positive for her to remember from this gloomy and depressing day.

"Good, good," Raoul said with bored vice, "Under Ministry Law 202, article 20, Neville Guss Longbottom, pureblood wizard, represents the Longbottom bloodline, son to Frank and Alice Longbottom, is hereby betrothed to Luna Marietta Lovegood, half-blood witch, daughter to Martin and Fanny Lovegood."

(**A/N** – _Before all you people start screaming that both Luna and Neville are purebloods, give me some space to explain myself… alright – I just thought that they were such a sweet couple… aren't they? I mean – can't we just pretend that Luna's mother was a muggle? Pretty please?_)

They were in the great hall for hours. Hermione chewed anxiously on her bottom lip, something she had to stop doing, it was a very bad habit, but she couldn't help herself, when she got nervous that just… happened!

There were so many tears that day. Hermione could barely count all of the girls who were now engaged to older men no-one had ever heard of. Hermione thought it was perverse of those men to marry someone half their age! The boys who were engaged to women outside _and_ inside Hogwarts stomped off in anger, cursing everything in their way. Natalie McDonald, a seventh year girl in Ravenclaw was suddenly engaged to Blaise Zabini. The poor girl ran off screaming and cursing the day she chose to become a witch.

_Are we totally blind this time  
can't you tell me the nexus of freedom  
and pain and desires and hate  
and even the holy ones _

_What's the reason to carry on  
what's the reason to fall  
after days of living hall  
after we had to crawl_

Hermione couldn't count the number of friends who were now engaged against their will. Emma Dobbs (Sixth year and belonged in Ravenclaw), Andrew Kirke (Sixth year and belonged in Gryffindor), Dean Thomas (One of her closest friends in Gryffindor), and Cho Chang (Ravenclaw seventh year, she wasn't Hermione's friend though, but when she became engaged to Goyle, Hermione couldn't stop herself from pitying the beautiful black-haired girl) were just a few of them.

"And now we have the last one on the list."

Raoul's voice reached Hermione's ears, she felt like she was going to faint on the spot. This was it, she just knew that her name would be the last one, she just knew it! '_Oh please, please, please tell me that it's Fred, tell me it's Fred!_' She begged to some unknown power (if there were any).

"Under Ministry Law 202, article 20, Fred Thomas Weasley, pureblood wizard, represents the Weasley bloodline, son to Arthur and Molly Weasley, is hereby betrothed to He…"

"Stop!" The doors in the Great Hall flew open and in came another ministry employee. Hermione saw from his clothes (formal and strict) that this man, whoever he was, was no errand boy. He had a high position in the ministry; his clothes alone spoke for that.

"What is it, Malcolm?" Raoul questioned when the strict clothed man named Malcolm reached the head table.

"This came to us early this morning. It was delivered exactly when you apparated," Malcolm handed Raoul a ceremonial ministry scroll and said: "This is what you're going to read to the students!"

_Are we totally blind this time  
can't you tell me the nexus of freedom  
and pain and desires and hate  
and even the holy ones _

_What's the reason to carry on  
what's the reason to fall  
after days of living hall  
after we had to crawl_

Hermione held her breath. What was wrong? What had happened? What was written on that paper? Why didn't he just tell them all that she was engaged to Fred Weasley?

"Hrm, hrm." Raoul coughed and gazed nervously over the crowd before him. Something on that note had made him unsure. "Seems like we've had some last minute changes… I'll read this to you and…"

"Get on with it!" Malcolm growled.

"Yes, yes." Raoul answered half-heartedly. "Hermione Jane Granger has received more than _one_ offer and…"

Hermione was about to faint; this wasn't good, this wasn't _good_! Two offers? That couldn't be? Who was the other man? Why her? Why couldn't…

"According to article 212 in the ministry law 202 arranged marriages, the ministry have made an investigation in this case and it's perfectly clear that Fred Weasley's proposal is the one to be rejected."

'_Alright, Hermione, this is the moment when you're supposed to faint.'_ her mind resonated.

"What the…?" Ginny bellowed, "What's happening, 'Mione? Wasn't Fred supposed to…?"

The Great Hall boiled with confusion. Hermione's mind was spinning; she glanced over to the Slytherin table. There was just _one_ person there who hadn't made a proposal; Draco Malfoy! He caught her staring at him and smirked at her. This couldn't be! He couldn't, could he?

"Under Ministry Law 202, article 20! Hermione Jane Granger, muggle born witch, daughter to Anton and Nicole Granger," Raoul bellowed, "is hereby betrothed to Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, pureblood wizard, represents the Malfoy bloodline, son to Leopold and Cassandra Malfoy!"

'_This isn't true! This isn't happening!_' Her mind screamed. She had heard him wrong, hadn't she? If that was so, then so had the whole of the Great Hall because she could hear shocked screams and angry calls.

'_Alright, Hermione – THIS is the moment when you're supposed to faint.'_ her mind resonated again, and now she did as she was told, everything faded to darkness.

_What's the reason to carry on  
what's the reason to fall  
after days of living hall  
after we had to crawl_

_What's the reason to carry on  
what's the reason to fall  
after days of living hall  
after we had to crawl_

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_No? _What's this? The end? Aww...  
But fear naught my friends ;) I'm posting next chap right away!

Btw. feed my ego with som revews will you?


	5. Until it sleeps

**Hrm! **

Hello folks – I'm back! As usually I'll have to give lots of credit to my beta… like LM/HG? Check her story out ;)

And thanks to my reviewers! Love you!

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Hmm… I've been thinking a lot lately (not that me thinking is _soooo_ unusual – but hey, this is about my fic DUH!) I'd just like to know – do you think that a happy ending in this story is a good idea? Shall I make Hermione and Lucius fall in love with each other?

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**Disclaimer:** Nope – not mine!

**Disclaimer: **The lyric belongs to Metallica and is called until it sleeps… heh… **

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**Until it sleeps – why me?**

_Where do I take this pain of mine  
I run, but it stays right my side _

So tear me open, pour me out  
There's things inside that scream and shout  
And the pain still hates me  
So hold me, until it sleeps

She stared at the ceiling and only stared for several hours. Friends knocked on the door and begged her to open the door. They even threatened to blow it to pieces or worse if she didn't let them in _NOW_!

Hermione turned to her left side and noticed that the sun had long ago sunk behind the forbidden forest's numerous trees, She checked her watch; 21:30. How long had she dwelled here?

If she could she would've been crying, screaming and cursing. But she couldn't, every last tear was wept, her vocal chords were battered as a result of all her earlier screaming. All her swearwords and curses where already thrown at her despicable fate.

'_Why me? Oh my god, why me_?' That question twisted in her mind, over and over again. She kept on questioning. '_Why me? Why does he want to marry me_?'

A life with Lucius Malfoy or a life in Azkaban were her choices. '_Well, that's the same thing isn't it?_' she grimly thought. A life with mental abuse or a life with physical abuse, what a choice! She almost laughed out loud. With the dementors she would at least know what would come next but with Lucius Malfoy…she shivered and numbly shook her head. She remembered that night when he had caught her in the dungeons…

'_Oh no my little one, it's just you and me here… alone in the darkness, you aren't afraid of the darkness are you_?' she could almost hear his mocking tone as if he stood beside her…

'_Alone in the darkness._' He'd asked her if she feared the darkness, and the answer was yes. Yes she did.

Hermione feared the dark, feared a room without doors and windows, and feared a dark forest. She could just imagine how it would be if _he_ found out how much she despised the darkness. How would life turn out for her in the future? Insane, half-dead in Azkaban or forced to share a bed with a well known death eater?

'_I would be the ickly-little Ferrets stepmother_…' this time she couldn't hold it back, she laughed and laughed and laughed, this was insane!

"Hrm… Miss Granger?" there was a knock on the door but Hermione didn't care. She laughed! Hysteria, tears and a crazy, boiling laugh welled up inside; she threw her head back in a peal of laughter and wrapped her arms around herself in pure laughing-cramp.

"Miss Granger?" She recognized Albus' voice. Some logical part of her mind told her that she should at least show _some_ respect and open the door, but one other part of her mind screamed:

'_Screw Dumbledore! Screw this! I'm insane! Laugh, laugh while there's time!_'

"Miss Granger, open your door this instant!" There were some heavy thuds on her door and she kept laughing. They could remain where they were, she didn't fucking care!

There was a loud crack and an explosion. Hermione stared dumbly at what was left of her once intact door. On the other side she saw a concerned Albus Dumbledore. She blinked once, twice and then she started crying again. Not like before, but quiet and gentle.

"There, there child, hush…" She found herself in the old wizard's arms, his purple and enormous sleeves were wrapped around them both, "The blame is on me."

"D-d-don't say that headmaster, don't say that." Hermione drew a shaky breath, "You've done everything in your power… you couldn't possibly prevent this."

"If I only knew that he was planning to…" Albus words died on his lips and he sighed deeply.

"Who was planning this? Why?" Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. Even though this was horrible and she hated everything about that law, the curious side of her wanted answers.

"Lucius Malfoy," The Hogwarts headmaster sighed, "is a very complex man. He _wants_ power and he won't stop at nothing to get it."

"What does all this have to do with me?" Hermione questioned and wiped her eyes.

"After the war he had to work very hard so that he would, once again, reach the top in the ministry, but this isn't enough. I've heard rumours that his goal is the prime-minister post and for that he needs to…"

"Be cleared of suspicions regarding his muggle hate." Hermione finished for him. It made sense now… she was just a… a façade for a higher purpose.

"Maybe, maybe not," Albus said, "You were chosen amongst many other muggle born girls. Maybe Lucius wants precisely what this law was being created for; powerful magic."

"Wh… what? I don't understand"

"You're a powerful witch, Hermione. _Your_ magic would pass on to your children… Lucius is also indeed a powerful wizard. I would sink so as low to say that… that your union would result in _very_ powerful children."

"But what about me being a muggle born? He _hates_ me!"

"Of course he hates you; you and your friends brought a downfall to something he'd spent an enormous amount of money, time and cunning in. But Lucius, you see, is far too clever to believe all that rubbish about pure-bloods being the muggle born's superior. What he doesn't like is the fact that someone like _you_ can show the whole world what he already knew about."

"This doesn't make sense." Hermione mumbled: "What will I do?"

"Listen to me, Hermione, listen very carefully." Albus gripped her shoulders and caught her eyes with his. "Azkaban is not an option! Whatever is to come, it's not an option. You're not a criminal and therefore you'll not spend the rest of your days in Azkaban. Promise me that! Promise!"

"I'll not choose the prison," Hermione said, "and I'll not let him break me that easily neither."

"That's a good girl!" Albus said and smiled. For a mere second Hermione once more found that twinkle in his gaze that she'd grown so familiar with. "Can you now consider letting your friends in? They've brought you food and you'll need them, now more then ever."

Hermione nodded and stared at her broken door, Albus Dumbledore laughed, pointed his wand at the mess he'd caused and said with an amused voice:

"I'll better see to your door, Miss Granger – _Reparo_!"

_Just like the curse, just like the stray  
You feed it once, and now it stays _

So tear me open, but beware  
There's things inside without a care  
And the dirt still stains me  
So wash me, until I'm clean

Lucius Malfoy awoke early that morning, thus almost causing the poor house-elves to have a heart attack when he ordered breakfast one hour earlier then he usually did. When his morning meal was delayed by five minutes, he ordered them to punish themselves so that they would learn that nothing is to be assumed; not even his morning habits. After that he quietly spent the rest of his morning reading the daily prophet. Ten o'clock he served himself a cup of coffee and then he went to the bathroom and had a shower. After that he (as usual) neatly took care of his hair; he put it up in a ponytail and held it steady with a green silk ribbon. After a cleaning spell and an anti-bad-breath potion he'd finished cleaning his teeth.

Wrapped in a towel, he went to his bedchambers and got dressed. As usual he wore his black trousers, high black boots, black shirt with high collar and a black waistcoat adorned with green embroideries. On top of all that, he chose a black cloak with green lining and a black hood. He fastened the cloak with a couple of snake-shaped silver buckles and then put on his black skin gloves. With a cane in his hand and perfectly clothed, Lucius Malfoy was ready for a new day.

This day was, of course, important. Yesterday he'd sent his proposal to the ministry, making sure that he was the one to marry the Granger girl. Really, this could be the best plan he'd ever had in his entire life…

'_Well almost_…' he thought amusingly.

That night in the Slytherin dungeons he'd decided that she was a perfect tool for him to use. With a muggle born wife he could easily convince those who still accused him to be a death eater that he wasn't. And when he'd done that, his final goal would be the prime-minister post. Besides that, she would be useful in a number of other occasions… and then there was that fear. The fear he'd seen in her eyes was the sweetest sight he'd seen in ages. Not even Narcissa had shown him such fear on their wedding night. Maybe that had something to do with her being of muggle offspring. In the muggle-world arranged marriages weren't very common; they married for love.

'_Such weakness,_' Lucius thought, '_Love… it'll only make you weak, make you a target for your enemies._'

To be completely honest, Lucius didn't even love Draco. He was proud of the boy of course, he had good grades and made head boy, but love? No absolutely not! If somebody targeted Draco because they wanted to hurt him, they, of course, were in trouble, just as they would be if they blew up his home or targeted him. And he would seek revenge, not because he loved Draco. No, he would seek revenge because someone had dared to touch something that belonged to him.

_It grips you, so hold me  
It stains you, so hold me  
It hates you, so hold me  
It holds you, so hold me  
Until it sleeps _

So tell me why you've chosen me  
Don't want your grip, don't want your greed

"'Mione, are you really sure you ought to attend this class today? I mean surely even _Snape_ must understand what you've been through these past couple of days?" Harry measured her with his intense green eyes; she shook her head and said:

"I can't afford to miss this class, Harry. Our exam is just a couple of weeks away."

"You could pass that exam any day, 'Mione, and you'd still have the highest grades of the school this year." The black haired boy pleaded with her. Was there some other reason than the one he'd told her earlier that made him so worried about her attending her potions class?

"Why, Harry? I'm not alone on this one. It's not like somebody would make fun of me, right?"

"You're forgetting yourself, 'Mione." Harry told her. "There's _someone_ who _will_ make fun of you and take royal pleasure in doing so."

"Malfoy." She stated with a shaky voice. Maybe this was a bad idea after all?

"He's been a pain in the arse ever since that proposal ceremony. I was so close to hexing him this very morning. If Ginny hadn't been holding me back, I swear that our dear ferret-boy wouldn't be opening his big mouth in a _long_ time."

"I'll have to face him some day either way, Harry." Hermione told her friend. "I'll be living in the same bloody house as the creature!"

"So you're going to marry his father then?" Harry asked her as they made their way to the dungeons, his voice held just a little edge of disappointment.

"I'm trying to find a way out of it. I'm reading everything I can think of but…" Her voice died away on her lips, there wasn't much hope or much time. In just a couple of days she had to face the man of her nightmares; face to face.

"I'll be there for you, 'Mione. Ginny will be there for you too, and all the other Weasley's. And mark my words, if Ron had been fully conscious you wouldn't have had to worry about that beast. I'd bet our friend would have tore your _future-husband_ to pieces." Harry told her and she felt his larger and warm hand searched for hers.

Hermione stopped outside the potions classroom and made Harry stop too. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, he meant so much to her.

"It'll be okay, 'Mione, you'll see. We'll think of something to get you out of this mess." Harry stroked her cheek and smiled weakly.

"I hope so." She told him in a trembling voice and struggled to hold her tears at bay.

"Ready?" Harry asked, she nodded and the black haired boy pushed the door in front of them open.

The air inside of Snape's classroom was cold and moist. Hermione could smell the scent of chopped belladonna and mashed hellbore. It was dark inside the dungeon; Hermione couldn't understand how Snape could stand living down here, all alone in the darkness. Maybe he was related to a vampire just like some students had said. Or maybe he just liked the solitude that darkness gave him.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" someone drawled behind them, Hermione knew that voice and hated it with a passion. "Isn't this my soon to be stepmother?"

Harry had his wand out in a mere second. Hermione spun around to find herself face to face with Draco Malfoy; the tall, blond and muscular Slytherin leader.

"Watch your step ferret-boy or you'll be a ferret permanently." Harry threatened.

"Are you going to let him threaten me like this, _mother_?" Draco asked Hermione with a smirk playing on his lips.

"I'll never be your mother you bastard." Hermione hissed. "I'll never ever be a fucking Malfoy while I'm still alive and breathing! You can tell your sick, perverse father that!"

"No you'll never be a Malfoy, _mudblood,_ but you're going to sleep with one and give birth to some." A devilish smirk was pasted upon Draco's lips. He leant forward and whispered, "But if you are a good girl I'll maybe consider helping my father with some _husband_ duties."

There was a loud "crack" and one second later Draco Malfoy was on the floor. His hands covered his nose and he screamed and cursed whilst his nose continued to drip blood. Hermione had hit him with all passion, anger and strength she was capable of. Her fist was still clenched and if Snape's silky voice hadn't reached her ears she probably would have continued kicking and hitting that ferret until the only thing remaining of him was a wet, bloody sludge.

"Miss Granger? Care to explain this?"

"Professor, let me…" Harry started, coming to Hermione's defence, "Draco was bullying her about her engagement with his father, sir."

"There'll be no Punch-ups in my classroom, Miss Granger, twenty points from Gryffindor." Snape turned to a bloody Draco Malfoy and said with a silky voice, "And you Mr. Malfoy ought to know that this law is nothing to make fun of. Let this be a reminder to you."

"Yes, sir- professor," Draco said and smirked in Hermione's direction, "I'm _so sorry,_ Granger."

"That's enough, Draco. Now run along to the hospital wing and get your nose taken care of." Snape said and fixed Draco with his stare. The young male bowed exuberantly and exited the classroom.

"Well what are you two waiting for? Go to your seats! And that applies the rest of you, too!" Snape bellowed. It was then that Hermione realised that they hadn't been alone.

_I'll tear me open, make you gone  
No more can you hurt anyone  
And the fear still shakes me  
So hold me, until it sleeps_

_It grips you, so hold me  
It stains you, so hold me  
It hates you, so hold me  
It holds you, so hold me_

_Until it sleeps_

Close to Harry she made her way to her seat beside Neville Longbottom, whom took her hand and squeezed it tightly. She smiled weakly and slumped down in the chair next to him. Harry placed himself on her other side. Inwards she felt warm; she had such good friends.

"Well class, today we'll be making the 'confusing and befuddlement draught'. Would someone care to explain to me how it works?"

By force of habit, Hermione's hand shot in the air, and just as usual, Snape ignored her, and just as usual, Hermione started waving her hand in the air. Snape continued to ignore her and sneered at his class. He started with a silky voice:

"I can't believe my eyes. Here in front of me I have a seventh year class who will graduate next month and _no one_ can answer my question! Back in my time, a second year could have told me that the 'confusing and befuddlement draught' first dazes the mind and then slowly affects the brain so that the affected person can't get their perspective right about time and space."

"Professor – _SIR!_" Hermione protested and rose from her chair: "The 'confusing and befuddlement draught' more specific takes control over the right half of the brain and then erases some specific memories, which leads to a confused state for-"

"_Fifteen_ points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for interrupting a teacher _and_ being an insufferable _know-it-all_!" Snape's eyes glowed with a maniac sparkle and his lips were twisted in a dangerous grimace. "Didn't you think that twenty points was enough? You just had to make yourself important no matter the cost, didn't you? Isn't the sympathy for your fate enough, miss-soon-to-be-_Mrs Malfoy_?"

That was a blow under the belt, Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she covered her face with her hands. She could hear reduced laughter from the Slytherin side and muffled whispers amongst the Gryffindors. Both Harry and Neville laid their arms around her and cursed their ill-tempered potions master.

"Now if you please…." Snape was interrupted when a bang echoed in his dungeon. Someone had thrown the door open. In the doorframe Hermione saw a terrified second year Gryffindor named Albin.

"Yes!" Snape spat. He was obviously irritated to no limits.

"S-s-sorry, sir, b-b-but professor Dumbledore requires the head girl's presence in his office right away, sir… one Mr. Malfoy is here to see her and…"

"If that's all, you may leave us _now_ and take Miss _Granger_ with you!"

_I don't want it  
So tear me open, but beware  
The things inside without a care  
And the dirt still stains me  
So wash me, 'till I'm clean... _

I'll tear me open, make you gone  
No longer will you hurt anyone  
And the fear still shapes me  
So hold me, until it sleeps...  
Until it sleeps...

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_AW_! Sorry- but this is the end for now... but never fear I'll be back... If you answer my question... Will there be love in the end or not?

Thanks to my reviewers - love you - and keep on feeding my large ego ;)


	6. Meet Your Fiancé

**Hey!**

I'm back... gesch, I'm fast ;)

In this chappie we'll face Lucius again... coldhearted, sexy, bastard :) And a... terrified Hermione whom seems to have troubels with her language (again) and ther's a dark room... creepy...

One of my reviewers asked me when Hermione will wed Lucius... ah... and the answer is... I don't know heh but never fear... she'll not get away... I think...

Please enjoy and review...

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**Still Life – meet your fiancé **

_Take a look in the pool and what do you see  
In the dark depths there faces beckoning me  
Can't you see them it's plain for all to see  
They were there oh I know you don't believe me. _

Oh.....I've never felt so strange  
but.....I'm not going insane.

How did it come to this? Hermione closed the door behind her. On the staircase she caught a glimpse of Albin's disappearing robe. Probably his Gryffindor courage had betrayed him while facing the bad-tempered potions master. Hermione took a deep breath and began the climb upwards on the staircase, her legs were shaking and her breathing was irregular… this was her nightmare she realised or at least the beginning of a never-ending nightmare.

The stairs seemed to end too quickly. If she was to choose, this staircase would've never ended, she would have kept on climbing until the day of doom. But there she was, at the top of the staircase and in the large hallway which led the way to Dumbledore's office. She walked in trance; each step seemed to bring her closer to the end of her life. The large gargoyle, which was the guardian of the secret staircase, which led the way to her doom, seemed to be evil and judging. Hermione swallowed and spoke:

"Gummy bears."

The gargoyle started shaking and after a few seconds a staircase was in sight. She drew a deep breath and took one step upwards, and then another. She kept on counting them; three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve. And so on until she reached three hundred and was facing Dumbledore's enormous oak door with black iron mountings, with creepers and beautiful leaves, which almost looked real in the strange, green light that an old-fashioned lamp threw. She just stood there, staring at the door, gaping like a goldfish in a desperate need of air. She couldn't do it; she couldn't open that door…

'_Good god, please someone – if you hear me – please tell me that he's not in there, please tell me that this is a terribly mistake!_'

"Miss Granger?" Hermione heard Albus' voice through the door, she knew that he wasn't alone in there; she felt cold and couldn't bring herself to answer. She closed her eyes and pretended that this was a bad dream, this wasn't _REAL_!

"Dear child, my dear child" Hermione opened her eyes slightly and was met with Albus' blue eyes; she shook her head numbly and whispered:

"I don't want to enter that room, headmaster, I don't want t-t-to face _him._"

She saw sorrow and sadness in the old wizard's eyes; she saw how his shoulders slumped down and how he blinked to hold tears at bay. She did pity him; the poor man who was forced to see so many children in his care face their end as wives and husbands against their will. And he wasn't able to stop it.

"I know… I know you don't my child, and if there was anything I could do to stop this I…"

"I know." Hermione sighed and wrapped her arms around the old wizard. Somehow that made her feel better. Somehow his aura of power and kindness gave her the strength she needed to face what was to come.

"How touching." A lazy voice drawled from somewhere behind Albus' back.

Hermione's eyes narrowed at the sound of that voice. God she hated just the way it flooded through the air and sent shivers down her spine. Albus turned around and faced the blonde wizard that leaned against the wall just one or two meters away.

"Lucius, if you please, take a seat so we may discus this matter in private."

"Indeed, headmaster." Lucius retorted and strode over to a green armchair in front of Albus' writing desk. Hermione didn't fail to notice the satisfied smirk which graced his lips. She drew another deep breath and entered the room. She took a seat as far away from Lucius as she could.

Dumbledore positioned himself behind his desk, with a troubled look upon his wrinkled face. He picked up a scroll, the very scroll that contained the marriage law. Hermione's eyes were pasted on his every move. Somehow, deep down she still hoped that the Hogwarts headmaster would crack a smile and tell Lucius that he'd found a loophole. And that the blonde wizard had to leave Hermione the hell alone.

"I take it you've already set a date for the wedding, _Lucius._" Dumbledore said with an icy voice.

"Of course." The blond wizard sneered and locked his icy blue stare with Dumbledore's ocean blue. "This is the first meeting out of four I'll have with my fiancé, so that leaves us with four weeks from now until we'll be married."

At that statement Hermione swallowed and closed her eyes, this was truly insane. She only had four weeks left of her freedom?

'_Oh no! My N.E.W.T's_!' her mind shrieked, just four weeks. '_I'll not be able to graduate! At the time of my exam I'll be trapped in Malfoy manor! That evil creature! Oh fuck I hate him_!'

"But then she'll not be able to graduate." Albus stated with a steady voice.

"Is that so?" Lucius said and Hermione saw the evil smile that cracked on his lips. "My, my, my I must have forgotten that little detail… what a pity."

"No worries, Lucius," Albus said in a stern tone, "Our Hermione is Hogwarts top student, and I'll not allow her to leave this school without her finishing her exams. Therefore she'll be able to take her tests before your wedding. That will make it possible for her to look for work later in her life."

Lucius' features tensed slightly and he narrowed his eyes dangerously as he leant forward. His nose almost touched Albus' as he spoke in a harsh tone:

"A Malfoy wife _never_ looks for work, headmaster."

"Not in the past maybe, but this regards Hermione and I know she'll stop at nothing when it regards her future and reputation. You can't keep her at home, Lucius, and if you do so against her will you'll regret it."

There was a battle of wills, the air around the two men sparkled with tension. Lucius' cold eyes fought Albus' ocean blue eyes, which sparkled with some unknown power. Finally Lucius gave up; he slumped back in his chair and whispered:

"We'll see about that, Dumbledore, mark my words, we'll see about that."

"I don't doubt that, Lucius, I really don't."

Suddenly Lucius turned to Hermione, his eyes locked with hers, a smile played on his lips, just as if he had found something very amusing. Hermione swallowed against her dry throat. That smile scared her to no limits and she didn't like the sparkle of pleasure that shot through Lucius' eyes when he turned to Albus once again.

"Now if you'll excuse us, headmaster, I have to speak with my fiancé in private."

The look of utter shock graced Dumbledore's face; the old wizard shook his head. Hermione was dumbfounded; she didn't want to speak with Lucius in private. She didn't want to be anywhere near him let alone in private.

"Surely there's no need for that, Lucius?" Dumbledore said with an almost pleading voice.

"Oh, but there is, headmaster. So if you'll excuse us…" Lucius rose from his chair, his black coat swirled gracefully around him as he did. "Come now, Hermione."

Hermione didn't move an inch; she wouldn't leave this room, no matter what he did to her. She looked anywhere but at him. Her eyes searched for Albus' but the old wizard had lowered his gaze. She felt panic when a leather clad hand gripped her shoulder.

"My little one, are you scared?"

'_Scared? Scared_?' Her mind shirked. '_Are you scared? Will you let him break you? Will you go down that easily? He'll win if he sees that you fear him… scared… scared?_'

"I am not." She snapped and met his eyes. Inside she felt fury, anger! This man had destroyed her life and she acted like a lost puppy.

She got up from her chair and faced him with her full height, and even then he still seemed to tower above her. This man was dangerous, very dangerous, but there and then she felt powerful. She was smart and would become a powerful witch; she wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Ah… Gryffindor courage," He purred, "So typical. Well then my dearest, follow me, we have much to discuss."

She threw a last glance in Dumbledore's direction, and she found a proud smile on his lips. Yep, if she kept this up then there'll be no problems.

_I've no doubt that you think I'm off my head  
You don't say but it's in your eyes instead  
Hours I spend out just gazing into that pool  
Something draws me there I don't know what to do. _

Oh.....they drain my strength away  
Oh.....they're asking me to stay.

Nightmares.....spirits calling me  
Nightmares.....they won't leave me be.

'_What a pity,_' Lucius thought as he slammed the door to Albus Dumbledore's office shut, '_I saw the panic, the sweet fear and then her Gryffindor instincts had to kick in and destroy the fun._'

He followed the outraged young woman through the castle; she had no idea where her feet were taking them. Lucius chuckled as he watched her petite curves. Yes, he'd made a good choice; her waist was slim, maybe a bit too slim; she probably skipped her meals and studied instead. Her legs were well shaped but Lucius could see that she wasn't in to athletics. He let his gaze wander and halted in the area around her wobbling bum.

'_Her hips weren't such an outstanding feature, more food and less studying would do her good._' He thought as he let his gaze wander a bit higher: '_Apparently her breasts weren't an outstanding feature either, but they would probably fit just perfectly in my palm._'

He continued to study her; his intense stare graced her neck and then admired the way she held her head. He studied her hair, which of course was a mass of brown curls which she didn't bother to tame in any way.

The girl in front of him must have felt him studying her because she stopped and turned around to face him, her eyes were livid and Lucius chuckled once again. They were beautiful her eyes; brown like chocolate with golden brown touches.

"What do you think you are doing?" She spat and transfixed him with her stare.

Lucius smiled and came closer; he saw how she had to fight the desire to back away. When he was close enough to smell the sweet scent of her perfume, he lent forward and whispered:

"Maybe I'm just _thinking_ about our wedding night."

_All my life's blood is slowly draining away  
and I feel that I'm weaker every day  
Somehow I know I haven't long to go  
Joining them at the bottom of the pool. _

Now.....I feel they are so near  
I.....begin to see them all the time  
Nightmares.....Will give me peace of mind.

She saw how he, like in a slow motion movie, leant forward and whispered with a reduced, harsh voice:

"Maybe I'm just _thinking_ about our wedding night."

'_Oh my god,_' She thought and drew a shaky breath, '_Calm, Hermione, calm. He's trying to scare you, remember that… don't let him scare you!_'

"Perverted bastard." She hissed and narrowed her eyes.

He just smiled, Hermione gulped; maybe she'd hit wrong spot. She didn't even have time to react before he'd slammed a door open and pushed himself and her into an old, dark classroom. She was slammed against a wall. She could feel the cold stone against her bare legs, his leather clad hands held her shoulders captive while one of his knees was positioned between her legs, thus holding her perfectly still.

"And here we are again my dearest," He whispered in her ear, "I take it that you like these moments because you persist to constantly irritate me."

'_Control, Hermione_! _He wants control_!'

"Shut your fucking mouth, Malfoy, I hate you! I hate you!" She screamed in a high pitched voice.

'_Oh my god_!' Her mind screamed, '_What in the name of Merlin made me say that… shit he's going to fucking kill me_!'

She caught a glimpse of his eyes, they were slightly narrowed and a dangerous smile played on his graceful lips. She swallowed, why didn't he do something? Why didn't he just…

She sucked in her breath as one of his hands loosened its grip around her shoulder and started to travel down her body. His hand made a stop exactly where her skirt ended, his index finger made lazy circles exactly where the skirts lining ended. Slow, deadly slow his hand made its way to her inner thigh and then further upwards…

'_Oh no! No, NO, **NO**! He can't touch me there_!' Her mind screamed, and finally her arms seemed to realise that they were free. She tried to push him off, but her attempts where fruitless. He was her superior in everything when it came to body strength.

His hand was dangerously close to its goal. Hermione panicked, where was her wand? Her right hand started to fumble in her robe, Lucius seemed to realise for what she was searching. He chuckled and whispered:

"No need to worry my dearest, I took care of your wand a long time ago, its safe in my pocket."

'_Alright, he's got my wand; I can't push him off, what to do? What to do_?'

Lucius' hand came closer and closer to its goal. Hermione finally realised the only thing she could do and she did it. She opened her mouth and screamed. Lucius' hand left her thigh and in a flash she found herself silenced with it instead. His face showed anger and Hermione swallowed:

'_Bad idea! Bad idea!_'

"That wasn't a brilliant move, _mudblood._" He hissed and leant forward once more, this time their noses were inches apart. She could feel the scent off his breath; mint and citrus.

She didn't answer; she was caught up in the furious winter storm that raged in his icy blue eyes. Her eyes wandered over his pale face and the devilish smirk that was printed on his lips. He saw how she studied him, which brought a wicked smile to his face and a cold laugh to echo against the walls.

"Gryffindor courage, I've always admired it even though it sometimes drives me crazy."

Suddenly his lips came crushing down on hers. In panic she gasped, which allowed Lucius to slip his tongue inside her mouth. She was frozen on the spot; this was her first kiss with tongues involved. She was so shocked by that fact that she'd failed to notice that Lucius had ended the kiss. He threw her wand on the floor and left the room.

_Now it's clear and I know what I have to do  
I must take you down there to look at them too  
Hand in hand then we'll jump right into the pool  
can't you see not just me they want you too._

_Oh.....we'll drown together  
It.....will be forever._

_Nightmares.....forever calling me  
Nightmares.....Now we rest in peace._

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_Oh god - _I mean, I'm evil leaving you there ;) but hey, you'll just have to wait untill next chappie...

Thanks to my lovely reviewers and my beta!


	7. Just one of those days

**Aey!** I'm back - missed me:) Thanks for those lovely reviews you're giving me!

And thanks to my beta - without you... ah! She's just the greatest :)

**Disclaimer:** NOooo! I don't own them... they're JK's

**Disclaimer:** Noooo! As usual the lyric writen in _italic style _isn't mine neither, it belongs to Iron Maiden

"Lemon dropp?"

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**Just one of those days**

_Thinking of an age old dream, places I have never seen,  
Fantasies lived times before.  
I split my brain, melt through the floor._

_Over clouds my mind will fly, forever now I can't think why.  
My body tries to leave my soul.  
Or is it me, I just don't know.  
Memories rising from the past, the future's shadow overcast.  
Something's clutching at my head; through the darkness I'll be led._

_'No – wait… exploding charm…? Green light? Purple?'_

Hermione re-read her test in charms once again; she sighed. This was it, thanks to her future husband she'd almost been unable to study! She checked her watch; alright; she had almost one hour left until she had to hand over her test to Flitwick.

_'What am I thinking? Exploding charm… that would be an orange light then!'_ Her mind triumphed as she wrote the right answer on the empty line.

_'Incarcerous? They must be kidding me, what do they think I am? A second year? I mean, every one in entire Hogwarts knows that Incarcerous is a rope charm! I mean gesch… ever since Malfoy found himself hanging upside-down in the great hall wrapped in ropes from head to toe…'_

Hermione laughed quietly at the memory, that look upon ferret boy's face had been priceless. Of course he'd blamed Harry for that one, but he didn't have any evidence.

_'Great, what about the mind replacing charm? I know I read about that one yesterday…oh! I know, um… yes, a flick with the wand and… Alienari!'_

Fifteen minutes later she was finished with her theory test in charms; the practical one she'd already passed with grace. She touched her scroll with the tip of her wand and the test disappeared. She yawned and rose from her seat. In her mind she repeated the test, thus making sure that she hadn't made any mistakes, but as usual she could satisfyingly state that she hadn't made any.

She left the empty classroom which was reserved for her earlier N.E.W.T's. The door slammed shut behind her, the sound of wood against cold stone echoed in the corridor.

_'They definitely have to do something about these corridors, I mean; they're dark, creepy and so… so lonely! I hate it when I'm alone, hate the sound of footsteps that are following me everywhere! I ha… wait a minute, footsteps!'_

Hermione halted; she swallowed and listened but the corridor was perfectly silent. She found herself with wand in hand and with her heart racing in her chest. This reminded her of her first encounter with Lucius in the dungeons, all alone in a dark corridor at nine o'clock in the evening. She drew a deep breath, where had her Gryffindor courage gone?

_"It waits for the day I will let it out. To give it a reason, to give it might. I fear who I am becoming, I feel that I am losing the struggle within. I can no longer restrain it, my strength it is fading; I have to give in…"_ Hermione found herself singing one of Within Temptations' songs called 'It's the fear', probably the sound of something, anything familiar made her feel better inside.

_Oh another time, another place.  
Oh another smile on another face.  
When you see me floating up beside you,  
You get the feeling that all my love's inside of you._

_Please take me away, take me away, so far away.  
Please take me away, take me away, so far away.  
Please take me away, take me away, so far away._

She heard those footsteps once again, this time louder and closer to herself. She quickened her pace, still singing at the top of her vocal cords:

_"_It's the fear! Fear of the dark! It's growing inside of me, that one day will come to life. Have to save, to save my beloved; there is no escape, because my faith is horror and doom…!"

"Good graces, Granger, what are you trying to do? Break down the castle or wake the dead?" snarled an all too familiar voice behind her.

"Shut your god damned mouth, Malfoy, or I'll make you!" Hermione shouted and turned on her heel so she could see Malfoy Junior where he stood at the end of the corridor. He was amusingly watching her with an uncomfortable glint in his eyes.

"Why, Granger, it's nice to see you too, but you don't have to get all exited just because of my handsome looks." The young Malfoy said and smirked. Hermione decided that she didn't like that smirk at all, in fact, she hated it.

"Keep your mouth shut you fucking ferret bastard, and stop following me!" She raged and drew her wand pointing it at the smirking boy three or four meters away.

"Don't flatter yourself, Mudblood, why would I follow you?" Draco asked sneering. His features darkened, "I'm just here because my father sent me. That brilliant brain of yours is apparently highly exaggerated; you seem to forget important dates…"

"If it's about my meeting with your father then you can tell him that he can put a stick up his ass and leave me the hell alone!"

"I don't tolerate such language, Mudblood, especially not if you use it against someone in my family." Draco threatened and came one or two steps closer to her.

"You don't have to hear it neither, ferret face, and leave me the hell alone!" Hermione yelled, she had to bridle her fury, if not, Malfoy would have found himself highly unrecognisable from loss of many important body parts.

"Just keep calm, Granger." The young, blond boy said and came closer. Hermione swallowed and watched him as he came even closer, so close that she could smell the disgusting scent off his cologne.

"One step closer, Malfoy, and you'll regret it." she threatened.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Granger, you are a feisty little thing aren't you?" Draco remarked. He smirked and came one little bit closer, Hermione had uttered the words before she knew it:

"Engorgio!"

Malfoy ducked, saved by his quidditch reflexes. Hermione's curse passed him by just one or two millimetres. She still had her wand raised when Draco drew his; they stood there, just watching each other. Suddenly Draco started laughing.

"Granger, Granger!" He smirked and let the tip of his wand grace her jaw line, "I think it'll be a pleasure to have you around in the future… who knows maybe when the old man's dead you'll pass on to me. You know accidents can happen so easily in such a large house as the Malfoy manor."

"If you feel like killing your father, by all means do so! I think that if you do I will even thank you for it, ferret. But right now you'll leave me the heck alone!" Hermione hissed and fixed him with a raging stare.

"If you're worth it, darling…" Draco said and his lips curled into an unpleasant smile.

"Shut up, Malfoy, and don't you dare darling me, if you do so you'll have your wand stuck up your ass, and I promise you, you'll not find that pleasant!"

"Oh, Granger, you're a naughty girl, didn't know you were in to that sort of thing."

smack

On Draco Malfoy's pale cheek a red, burning handprint suddenly became visible. He stared at her for a moment or two before his face turned into a raging mask of anger. Hermione glared at him but took one or two steps backwards; the blond boy raised his wand again and spat,

"Don't you dare slap me again, Mudblood!"

"Don't you dare call me Mudblood, Malfoy!" She retorted and spun on her heel.

"Hey! Granger, don't you want to know where my father is?" He called behind her in a mocking tone.

"No I don't want to know where he is!" She shouted and stormed off in anger, behind her she thought that she heard him call,

"Suit your self."

_Thinking of an age old dream, places I have never seen,  
Fantasies lived times before.  
I split my brain, melt through the floor._

_Over clouds my mind will fly, forever now I can't think why.  
My body tries to leave my soul.  
Or is it me, I just don't know.  
Memories rising from the past, the future's shadow overcast.  
Something's clutching at my head; through the darkness I'll be led._

She continued her angry pace through the castle; her eyes threw daggers at anyone that dared to speak to her, especially the annoying paintings on the wall. She really couldn't believe him, such audacity! He insulted her, he… he insinuated disgusting things!

_'Ahhh! I wish that the whole Malfoy clan could commit suicide and drown themselves in the deepest ocean known on the planet and then rot away in the deepest part of hell!'_

"Erm… Miss Head Girl I… do you know where…"

"No I don't know where!" Hermione snarled at the little second year, Hufflepuff girl with blonde braids and large, blue eyes.

"M-m-m…" The little girl stuttered and stared dumbfounded at the outraged, and for the moment, very unpleasant head girl.

"Oh shut up you silly little girl, what do you want?" Hermione tried to control her temper; after all, it wasn't this little girl's fault that the entire world's Malfoys were complete bastards!

"I… I would like to know where the bathroom is, Miss Head Girl… I can't find it!"

"How long have you been here in this school, girl? I mean how hard could it be to find the bathroom?"

"They're moving around all the time!" the little girl complained and it seemed like she was about to start crying, "And I need to…!"

"Open the door over there and then turn left, you'll find the ladies room there." Hermione explained. The little girl nodded and then ran off as quick as her short legs could carry her.

Hermione muttered something about drawing a map for every first, second and third years that tended to be just as forgetful as the little second year was. She continued her raging pace through the castle and then finally to the Head Girl's chambers.

"Password?" The portrait of a little girl with fairy wings questioned and giggled.

"Knowledge is the key to power." Hermione snarled, she wasn't in the mood for this little irritating girl, in fact, she never was.

"Teehee, I know!" The little girl skipped and the portrait swung open, "Oh by the way, do you want to know something funny!"

"No I don't want to know something funny! GOOD NIGHT!" Hermione snapped and entered her chambers.

On the other side of the wall the little girl in the portrait mumbled to herself, she didn't like the new Head Girl; all too strict and formal.

"I just wanted to tell her about her visitor!" The little girl mumbled and twirled one of her dark curls around a little finger, "A handsome man by the way, and nice too… telling me that I was pretty."

The little girl giggled and bounced around in her frame before she decided that it would be a very great idea to visit her friend in a painting nearby.

_Oh another time, another place.  
Oh another smile on another face.  
When you see me walking up beside you,  
You get the feeling that all my love's inside of you._

_Please take me away, take me away, so far away.  
Please take me away, take me away, so far away.  
Please take me away, take me away, so far away_

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Ta-da! Here we are - moahaha I'm mean again, leaving you there twisted grin any guesess... who's the mysterious man in her room cough 


	8. Fear is the key

Well, well, well - what have we here? Next chapter!

As usual- they don't belongs to me _blahblahblahblah_ etc. they belongs to JK ROWLING!

And just as usul the lyric writen in _italic_ style isn't mine neither it belongs to Iron Maiden and is named "Fear is the key" I don't have to mention that they are the gods of heavymetall doI?

Thanks to my beta - thanks to my reviewers - thanks to my bird, thanks to my brother and... ah? didn't i win the nobellprice? Well screw you then!

Uhm sorry for that - but honestly, thanks to my beta and to my reviewers!

"Have a lemondropp and enjoy this chapter!"

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**Fear Is the Key**

_we live our lives in fever  
in choking sweat of fear  
in the heat of the night you can feel so much  
in the heat of the night I scream "Don't touch"_

Lucius was angry, _very_ angry. That little bitch had ignored their meeting; he knew that _she knew_ that their second meeting should take place today, directly after she had finished her test, nine o'clock sharp. She would pay dearly for daring to ignore him like that, yes dearly, she couldn't run forever.

'_But why am I so anxious to see her?_' His mind questioned. '_I'll have her forever; I'll have her around at my every beck and call for the rest of my life… or her life._'

'_It was that kiss, wasn't it_?' A tiny voice inside his head questioned.

'_Yes, the kiss_…' Lucius smirked in triumph; he _wanted_ the little Mudblood, his body _needed_ her, his mind longed for her secretly and the fact that she didn't want him made him want her even more. '_How classic… longing for those things you can't have… well I'm a Malfoy and actually I don't give a damn about if she wants me or not. I need her and that's all that matters._'

"Hi! You're new aren't you?" A shrill voice called, Lucius turned around and found a little black haired fairy girl in a painting nearby waving and smiling in his direction.

"As a matter of fact, I don't attend this school anymore. That was a long time ago." Lucius informed in a low tone, he _hated_ talking paintings; especially annoying, talking paintings.

"Oh!" The girls face fell and she looked disappointed, "What a pity."

Lucius sneered and was just about to leave when realisation hit him, this corridor, _that_ wall looked familiar. He turned around and found a _very_ familiar wall which he remembered from his own time at Hogwarts.

'_This is the head boy and girl's corridor_…' He thought, Lucius remembered this corridor in particular because he himself had been head boy once upon a time. '_They've just switched paintings_.'

"Are you leaving?" The little girl called, Lucius whom in just that moment realised where the entrées to the head girl's chamber would be. He smirked and turned around to flash a charming smile in the little girl's direction, this was just too good.

"No, I was just thinking… you see… I'm looking for the head girl. A pretty and smart lady, like your self, wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"

"Oh… no, I don't know where she is. Why do you wish to find her?" The little girl smiled and twisted one of her black curls around her little finger in a shy gesture.

"She's my fiancée… and I… promise you won't tell anyone?" Lucius said and faked a blush upon his pale cheeks.

"She's your fiancée!" The little girl squeaked and bounced up and down. "Oh that's so romantic! So you're here to visit her even though you aren't allowed too? Just like in the fairytales? Are you a prince? Is she a princess?"

Lucius almost laughed out loud, was this really the painting that guarded the head girl's chambers? This girl almost made him unsure, back in his time the paintings that guarded the most important rooms were intelligent, patient and strict; this girl was just out of place.

"Yes, she is my fiancée, and no, I'm not allowed to do that." Lucius said and then he grimaced; now he had to say the one word he hated to utter, "I miss her so… I l-l-love her."

"Oh… I promise not to tell anyone that I have seen you, I promise!" The little girl smiled weakly.

Lucius sighed in disappointment; they clearly had moved the head girl and boy's rooms else where. The girl seemed to be thinking and Lucius was about to leave a second time when she suddenly squeaked.

"Mister! You've told me something secret… now I want to return the favour!"

"Indeed?" Lucius muttered.

"I don't know _where_ the head girl _is_, but I know where she lives!"

"Do you really?" Lucius smirked; well he wasn't mistaken then, how wonderful.

"Yes," the fairy girl in the portrait giggled mischievously, "She lives here; I'm the guardian you see… I'm the one who makes sure she doesn't get unwelcome visitors!"

"Ah… I see, and I think that Dumbledore made a very good choice to make you guardian. You seem to be a very wise and marvellous creature indeed… and beautiful!"

"_Really_! You don't mean that!" The fairy giggled, "What's your name?"

"Lucius, and yours?" Lucius retorted and flashed one off his charming smiles in the girl's direction.

"Oh, Lucius, that's a wonderful name…" The girl smiled weakly and then spoke. "My name is Pangea Nova Tindra Starlight Dus-"

"You've got that many beautiful names? They really match your own beauty."

"Thanks, mister. You know what? I like you." She once again fell silent and Lucius thanked some unknown power for that, her voice cut through his ears and he didn't like her laugh.

"You know what, Pangea? I think I better get going, I have to find my fiancée." Lucius said in a low tone. "It was a pleasure talking to you, and send my greetings to my lovely fiancée…"

"Oh no! You don't need to do that, mister, you see… um, I'm not allowed to do this, but you are welcome to enter the head girl's chambers…"

"Are you sure?" Lucius almost laughed out loud, this was just _too_ good to be true.

"Of course I'm sure. Speak '_knowledge is the key to power_' and then enter." Pangea said and snickered behind one of her milky white hands.

'_**Knowledge is the key to power**? How typical for Hermione to use that old phrase, and she's extremely wrong; knowledge isn't the main factor to power, money is the key to power.'_ Lucius thought amused and then smiled weakly and spoke.

"Knowledge is the key to power."

Pangea smiled and the portrait swung open, Lucius was about to enter when a very appealing idea hit him, he glanced towards Pangea, whom for the moment hung upside down, watching him with her dark brown eyes.

"And one more thing… when the head girl arrives, don't tell her that I'm in here. It'll be a surprise you see. Do you think that you can keep quiet for my sake, Pangea?"

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Pangea giggled and once again (by force of habit) twirled one of her dark curls around a tiny, white finger, "Of course I won't tell her and ruin your surprise!"

Lucius highly doubted that this girl could keep quiet for one minute but he had to trust her. He flashed her one last winning smile and then entered Hermione's private chambers. The portrait slammed shut behind him and he found himself in complete darkness, he raised his wand and spoke.

"_Lumos_"

The tip of his wand started to glow. Lucius spotted a large, crimson sofa and an exclusive oak table. The table was fully encumbered with books, scrolls, texts, feather pens, inkbottles and other pencils. The walls in the room were red with touches of gold, decorated with golden lions and crowns. He turned around and found a red armchair with golden embroideries. Everywhere was red, red, red, gold, gold, red, gold and gold.

"Such a Gryffindor." Lucius frowned. It couldn't be healthy to surround oneself with that much gold and red. Once she moved to Malfoy manor he would have to teach her that he wouldn't tolerate a red room in his house. Green, black, blue, white or just plain stone was acceptable, but no red walls.

Outside he suddenly heard voices; he smirked in triumph and placed himself in an armchair. He extinguished the tiny light which emerged from his wand. He waited for one or two seconds before the portrait swung open and Hermione stormed inside.

The portrait slammed shut and inside there was once again dark. Lucius could hear how Hermione moved around in the darkness. He could hear her footsteps and then the soft "click" from a door that opened.

"_Lumos __funditus._" Hermione's voice spoke and Lucius saw a room nearby lighten up by several candles and other light resources.

The streaming sound of water suddenly reached his ears, Hermione was about to take a shower. Lucius smirked, this was indeed a strange but lucky day and young Hermione would soon find out how dearly she had to pay for neglecting him.

_I remember a time when we used and abused  
and we fought all our battles in vain  
I remember a time we thought that passion was free  
in the heat of the night... bodies aflame _

we live in fever...

She entered her chambers, they lingered in darkness, darkness… oh how she hated darkness. She stumbled around in her living room for a while until she found the one door she was looking for; the door that led the way to the bathroom.

"_Lumos __funditus._" she spoke in a bored tone and the bathroom lit up.

Hermione loved her bathroom, her own shower, the wonderful bathtub and her own private sauna. She took off her clothes and folded them neatly on a nearby chair. She turned on the shower and then took place under the stream.

'_Really, I have to do something about my temper._' She thought and reflected over her own outraged pace through the castle.

'_But I was so angry! Fucking Malfoy bastard.'_ She thought irritated and poured some shampoo on to her tangled mass of hair and began franticly massaging the scalp.

'_That little Hufflepuff girl didn't deserve that treatment._' A low voice said in her head, Hermione sneered at that voice, she had every right in the world to be angry and that silly little girl just happened to come in her way.

'_Good, you are talking to your self; you know that right_?' an irritating voice spoke inside her head.

'_Like I didn't notice._' another voice snarled back.

'_Shut up, this is all Malfoy's doing_!'

"Fuck I hate the entire world's Malfoys. I hope they just could die!"

"My, my, my, talking to yourself are you my dearest?" a cold and all too familiar voice said.

_I hear your secret heartbeat  
I can hear your silent cries  
the kids have lost their freedom  
and nobody cares till somebody famous dies..._

Hermione opened her eyes and found a smirking Lucius Malfoy leaning in the doorframe with an exclusive view over her glorious, naked body. She shrieked and covered herself with her hands, which of course made the blond devil laugh.

"Tut, tut, Hermione, no need for that! I've already seen the crown jewels you've been hiding from me underneath all those layers of unnecessary fabric… and it's not like you'll be able to hide them in the future neither." He said with a huge grin playing on his thin lips.

"Can't you just crawl away and die, Malfoy!" Hermione shrieked, frightened out of her mind but still very, _very_ angry.

"That's not very nice my dearest." Lucius purred and came closer. She swallowed and backed away, but found herself, needless to say, caught between him and the cold tiled wall.

"Don't come closer, I'll scream. This is molestation!" she screamed, still covering her body poorly with her hands and arms.

"Hm… maybe it is." He stopped and studied her with a calculating gaze.

"Yes! Yes it is! Leave my room!" She screamed, surprised that he had stopped but still uncomfortable with him just one arm length between them.

"Bust still…" His eyes burned into her skin and a wicked grin spread over his face, "But still, in the past I had no trouble with that… you must have heard of my reputation through the war…"

Hermione gulped, yes, she'd heard the rumours… rumours about what happened to those unfortunate girls and women that landed in _his_ care or just stumbled across his path. She recognized those burning looks he gave her, how his eyes followed the pearls of water that made their way over her body. She'd seen that look upon many men's faces during the war, mostly on the Death Eaters, but also upon the Aurors; the look a prowler threw its prey, the look upon a person ready to rape someone else.

"I take it you've heard the rumours then," He hummed, "And I can confess to you my dearest, they're all false… it wasn't that way, it was worse."

"You shouldn't be proud, Malfoy!" She hissed, "You've raped those…"

He put a silencing finger over her lips and hushed her. A dangerous glint emerged in his eyes and a stiff smile played on his lips. Hermione stared wide eyed at his face; too dumbfounded to utter one single word.

"Hush my dearest… fear is the key."

He smiled and then roughly grabbed her face and kissed her. He forced her lips apart and traced his tongue over her clenched teeth. His hands let go of her face and graced her neck and shoulders, playing with a stray strand of her hair. They started travelling downwards and began tugging at her arm that still covered her breasts.

'_Alert! Alert! Warning! Warning!_' Her mind screamed in panic. '_He's going to rape you here, in the shower if you don't do something. DO SOMETHING FOR MERLINS SAKES!_'

Smack

The kiss ended abruptly, Lucius withdrew himself from her. On his check a handprint was burning in a pink shade of red. Hermione stared, her mouth hung open, and she couldn't believe herself! First she slapped Draco and now his father… a father that looked ready to kill her now.

'_Oh no, no, no! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Gosh! I'm soooo dead_!' Her mind whined.

Lucius' leather clad hand tore both her hands loose from her body and pushed her against the wall, the tiles were colder now and she gasped when her bare back came in contact with it. She swallowed desperately and stared into the raging snowstorm in his eyes.

"Don't you ever, _ever_, dare do that again!" He hissed in her ear, "If you don't wish something very, very nasty to happen to you."

"D-d-don't touch me t-t-then…" She managed to stutter.

He smiled a cold smile and then buried his nose into her thick, curly and soaking wet hair, he nibbled gently on her ear lobe kissing her throat, and shoulders. Ever so gently he loosened his grip around her hands and then, once again, they started to travel over her body. Hermione blinked, it felt nice, nice but disgusting at the same time. She couldn't allow to do? Oh… what to do! ' her mind questioned, '_Slap him again_?'

'_No_!_ That's a very, VERY bad idea,_' another part of her brain answered, '_who know how his sick mind works? Maybe he's turned on by violence_?'

'_Your hands are free._' the first voice stated.

'_I know that you dolt_!' the second part sneered. '_Maybe if I…?_'

'_Yes, that's a GOOD idea_!' The first one answered.

Mind made up, Hermione's hands started to fumble along the wall, finally finding what she was searching for; the water tap. She turned the nozzle to freezing cold and then braced herself as she turned on the shower. The cold water started to flow with a loud sound and before Lucius managed to understand what was going on, he yelped in surprise as the cold water streamed over his valuable clothes. In the state of shock he let go of her fully and backed away. Hermione whom was prepared for the cold water jumped aside and then grabbed her towel, sprinted out of the bathroom, slammed the door shut and headed towards her bedroom.

'_Oh shit! My wand is still in the bathroom_!' Her mind shrieked, '_What to do?_'

She closed the door to her bedchambers, placed a chair under her doorknob thus keeping it shut without magic. Then she frantically searched through her room for a weapon or something to use if he would breakthrough the door, which she of course knew he would. She found her favourite book '_Hogwarts a History_'. She lifted it from her writing desk and then braced herself for the storm.

"Oh, Hermione, come out, come out wherever you are!" Lucius' voice called from the other side of her door, Hermione swallowed and lifted her book, ready to throw it.

"_Alohomora._" Lucius spoke. The door vibrated but was still shut.

'_He thinks I have my wand, he thinks that I've locked my door with magic!_' She thought, maybe she could use it to her advantage.

"_Dissendium_!" Lucius bellowed on the other side of the door, this time Hermione heard a loud crack from her door, but it was still intact.

"_Foris aduro_!" The powerful door-blowing charm hit the door with a loud, cracking noise. The thick wood split in two and fell to the floor.

Hermione shrieked and threw her book with her eyes shut, hoping that Lucius would be hit and drop dead there on the spot.

"_Confuto modo_!" Hermione could nearly hear how her book froze in mid-air, due to Lucius' freezing charm, she gulped but kept her eyes shut.

"_Petrificus totalus_!" Hermione opened her eyes just in time to see the spell as it hit her. She could feel how her body became stiff as she fell to the floor, the towel she'd grabbed in her hurry was still tightly wrapped around her tiny body; a fact she was very grateful for.

"Hermione, Hermione, you aren't that clever after all." She heard Lucius' voice from somwhere above, she could just see his black boots as they approached.

"But no need to worry my dearest, you see, I find you _very_ amusing," She heard him laugh and then saw how he bent forward, his hair dripping water and some drops fell on Hermines face. "And the fact that you don't want me makes you even more desirable, but this isn't the time to show you my desire for you... _Consisto_!"

Hermione found herself free from the body binding. She was about to rise and run as fast as she could, but was stopped by Lucius whom captured one of her wrists and dragged her on to her feet.

"Just leave me, Malfoy, just leave me alone!" She begged and started crying.

"Ah woman tears… some men can't resist them, but you know that I can…" His index finger touched her wet cheeks, he smiled and said, "Kiss me; kiss me and I'll leave you for now"

She stared; he couldn't mean that…could he? She closed her eyes and then she just did it; she stood tip-toed and kissed his lips. But what was meant to be a peck on the lips became much more because when Hermione withdrew her lips Lucius' followed. His arms caught her and with fiery passion he deepened the kiss. At first she tried to struggle, tried to push him off but that failed miserably as his iron-grip just became tighter. His tongue swirled around hers gracefully, stroking and tempting and she let him. She stopped fighting; she just stood there and let him have his way with her.

He seemed to realise that because his grip loosened and his right hand started to travel downwards, making lazy circles on her back and fondled her ass. He lifted the towel just a bit higher, allowing his hand access to her soft, milky white skin in the section of her upper thigh. Suddenly he stopped, he ended the kiss and withdrew his head, flashing a smile and said:

"You did well my dear, and you must be exhausted," He tilted forward once more and kissed her forehead, "Sweet dreams, dearest… and remember, fear is the key."

He left her then, exiting her room and her chambers. Hermione stood there with the towel wrapped around her, messy, wet hair and a frightened look upon her face.

'_Bloody hell! He's even scarier when he's nice!_'

_I remember a time when we used and abused  
and we fought all our battles in vain  
I remember a time we thought that passion was free  
in the heat of the night... bodies aflame_

_Now we live, in a world of uncertainty  
fear is the key - to what you want to be  
you don't get a say the majority gets it's way  
you're outnumbered by the bastards till the day you die..._

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_Aww..._ look at that - the end?

So... what do you think? I really enjoyed writing it hope you liked reading it ;)

Hmm... I'm planing to write newt chapter this or next week and i planned to include Ron in that one... _NO **NO **_NO! Ther'll be no Ron/Hermione fic but i think it could bring som perspective... and give Lucius thechans to be that bastard again;)

Thanks to my lovely reviewers and my beta - keep on feeding my ego ;)


	9. Gone Away

**Gesch!** sighs this was the most boring chapter I've ever writen... that has to be Ron, he's ruining my fiction angry sigh but he's nesessery so... ah - whet evrer - enjoy.

**As usual** I have to thank my beta, she's just the greatest :)

**And just as usual** - The lyric writen in italic style isn't mine, it belongs to The offsprings and is called "Gone away"

Thanks to all my Reviewers - you're the greatest!

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Gone Away

_Maybe in another life  
I could find you there  
pulled away before your time  
I can't deal it's so unfair  
_

He was alone; alone in the darkness, lost without light. He was so afraid, so lonely, it felt almost as if he was dead; the living dead. Sanity or insanity, he gambled with death, searched for a reason to live, a reason to die.

"Hermione!"

An echo bounced in his head, a word, a name repeated in his dark loneliness. It twisted, hunted and reminded him. Reminded him of a warm embrace, a lovely smile and a pair of warm, chocolate brown eyes. He could almost feel her gentle touch as if she caressed his cheeks and twirled his hair around her soft, fragile fingers.

"Hermione, my Hermione!"

In his darkness a light of sanity lit up, the name of his beloved echoed in his mind, that echo held him sane in a world of weird darkness that kept him prisoner. It ached, hurt, tormented and plagued him every second, every minute and hour of his living-dead state.

"Ron…?"

A weak voice spoke in his mind, soothing his pain, reaching out for the sane part of his mind. He felt like he was falling down, falling in a black shroud of emptiness. He just wanted to rest, wanted some peace and someone to comfort him.

"Hermione… Hermione, my Hermione," he mumbled and the soft light overwhelmed him, slowly he returned to the reality.

_  
And it feels  
And it feels like  
Heaven's so far away  
And it feels  
Yeah it feels like  
The world has grown cold  
Now that you've gone away  
_

Truth be told, she didn't know why she was there. What was she hoping for? A miracle? He lay there as if he was dead; the only thing that told the surroundings that he was alive was the faint sound of his thumping heart and the irregular puffs off his breath.

Her fingers searched for his hand, they were cold as if all blood were drained from them and the rest of his body… and the only thing that kept his body from rotting away was some magical power. She sniffled behind her napkin, trying to be brave. But it was hard… so hard seeing him lying there like a corpse before a funeral. His copper red hair was spread all over his pillow, like a crown but he did need a good haircut she noticed. His freckles seemed to be fading away from lack of sunshine, his skin was deadly pale, so pale that he almost disappeared amongst his white sheets and pillows.

On the table beside his bed she saw a bunch of white roses in a crystal vase; they still seemed to be brand new and Hermione knew that Molly came to visit her son every now and then, even though there was no hope for him. It hurt deep inside Hermione to know that Ron would lie here and slowly fade away… be forgotten. That life would pass him by and that he would die without anyone noticing, until the bad smell of a rotting body would alarm the doctors about his state.

She twirled his hair around her fingers, almost tugging at it, as if she secretly hoped that he would wake up from the little amount of pain she caused him. Maybe she wished too hard because she thought she saw his eyelashes blink one or two times.

"Ron…?" She breathed in a faint voice, not daring to hope for an answer.

There was no answer, just as she expected. She sighed and thought about her own destiny. Today was _that_ day, the third time she would be forced to meet Lucius Malfoy before their wedding. She didn't want to meet him and that was the main reason to why she was here at Ron's bedside. No one would chance upon finding her here… no one. And that, at least, comforted her a bit.

"Hermione… Hermionemyhermione…"

She almost had a heart attack, this was a sick joke… he wasn't? Could he? Was he about to wake up? She drew a shaky breath, titling forward and placed a hand upon Ron's pale, white forehead. She heard another sound from his chest, he coughed she realised.

"RON!" She screamed, as if a faint coughing sound was the sound of heaven's golden trumpets.

His eyelashes blinked once again, this time she was sure. Her heart raced in her chest, she felt like crying and laughing at the same time. With a shaky hand she caressed his cheeks, this time she could feel warmth, as if she touched a living creature.

"Hermione?" Her names on his lips made her feel warm inside and she started crying.

"Yes, Ron, I'm here… I'm with you," she whispered still caressing his cheek.

"I'm dreaming…" he mumbled and finally opening his eyes, his blue irises sparkled in the faint light that streamed from those horrible hospital lamps in the ceiling.

"No you're not," she spoke frantically, afraid that he would fall back into his darkness.

"No I'm not," he said and smiled a faint smile, he raised his right hand and captured her hand in his, "No I'm not… this is too real to be a dream."

"Oh, Ron! You have no idea but how much I've missed you," she cried.

"Hey… its okay, Hermione, see I'm awake now and nothing can separate us again," he said and smiled again.

_  
Leaving flowers on your grave  
Show that I still care  
But black roses and Hail Mary's  
Can't bring back what's taken from me  
_

_I reach to the sky  
And call out your name  
And if I could trade  
I would_

'_Oh he's got no idea but how hurtful that sentence was_!' She thought and sniffled, refusing to meet his eyes, '_He is so wrong, there's one large THING in our way._'

"What's the matter, Hermione, why are you crying?" He asked.

"I… I'm…" She couldn't tell him, simply couldn't… such shame and such pain.

"You've got someone else?" He asked and she could almost hear how his voice broke, "is it Harry?"

"No…" She answered in a dead voice, "He'll soon marry your sister."

"Well that's… that's good, isn't it?" Ron stuttered.

"Yeah… I guess," Hermione said, still avoiding Ron's eyes.

"What is it, Hermione?" Ron said in a weak voice, "Don't you love me?"

"It's not about that, Ron… it's… oh!" She started crying again as she gave him her ministry letter, the letter that contained the marriage law, the letter she always carried with her and read when she got a chance, always hoping that she would find a loophole.

"I can't read… my vision is all blurred, I can't see properly," Ron mumbled in a calm voice as he handed the letter back to her.

"A-a-alright," she stuttered and drew a deep breath, bracing herself and then started reading, "According to article 20, purebloods are called upon this law to find an appropriate wife or husband amongst the muggle born and half blood witches or wizards whom have reached appropriate age…"

Ron kept calm all the way through the letter, not interrupting her one single time. He closed his eyes and Hermione had to stop, still fearing that he would fall back to his former sleep, but he was still awake and she kept on reading.

"According to the second item in article 20, when the proposal has been made the couple will meet twice a week under a cycle of four weeks, in the fifth week the ceremony has to take place… signed, _Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic_…"

"So you are… um… engaged with someone else?" He finally asked, still holding her hand.

"Yes," she answered, lowering her gaze and stared at her feet.

The room fell silent, Ron didn't speak, and Hermione didn't even dare to look at him, not him, not anywhere but at her feet. After a long time of silence Ron finally spoke.

"Who?"

"It's… it's… I mean, he…" Lucius' name stuck in her throat, it was like his name would poison everything in their nearness. She swallowed and concentrated on her feet which today wore a pair of red socks with green spots.

"Is it anyone that I know about?" He asked, still sounding calm but Hermione feared the storm that his temper could cause.

She nodded, still not daring to take her eyes of that green spot on her socks, that spot seemed very friendly and interesting. She heard Ron draw a couple of deep breaths before he asked.

"Is it someone in my family? Fred? Gorge? Bill? Charlie? _Percy_!"

"At first it was Fred," She admitted in a whispering tone.

"_At first?_" Ron asked, raising his voice one octave or two.

"I received more then _one_ offer," She admitted, her voice broke. She was close to tears once again.

"More then one. Hermione, who made the other proposal?" Ron whispered. She could feel how he stared at her, probably in shock.

"L-l-l… it was… Lu…" She stuttered. _His_ name felt like dirt in her mouth.

"Lu-Lu-what? Hermione, _WHO_ are you going to marry?" Ron almost shouted now, he was about to raise his head from his pillow but Hermione stopped him halfway up and pressed him down in the mattress again.

"Lucius Malfoy," She answered in a low tone, hiding her face in her hands.

"Oh… Lucius Malfoy, come on, Hermione! Who are you going to marry?"

"I'm telling the truth, Ron," she whispered.

"Lucius Malfoy… b-b-but didn't the good side win? I thought, I thought that if you were alright a-a-and I'm here at the hospital… then… then?"

"We won, Ron… we did… but so did _Lucius_," she spat.

"That… that _BASTARD_!" Ron shouted and this time he rose from his bed, capturing Hermione's wrists with strength she didn't know he was capable of after such long time in a living-dead-state.

"Stop, Ron, you're hurting me!" She shrieked.

"Why, Hermione? _WHY_?"

"He's got the money, Ron, he wants the primary post… he needs me to… he needs me because he needs to marry a powerful witch so that he can produce a healthy magical child and…"

"You are going to marry him!" Ron shouted and his cheeks were as red as his hair, "You're going to marry him just like_ that_?"

"Marry him or end up in Azkaban…" Hermione whispered, "Do you wish that I ended up in Azkaban, Ron… rather than marry Lucius? I… I'll do it for you…"

"No, Hermione… I… I didn't mean that… I don't want you in Azkaban… I want you here beside me! You were meant for me, Hermione! _FOR ME_!"

"That's… that's impossible," she whispered.

"I love you," He said and embraced her; Hermione buried her nose in his chest, smelling the scent of his body, feeling the warmth of his embrace, listening to his heartbeat.

"I love you too," she whispered, "I love you, love _you_"

"I'll kill him…" Ron threatened, stroking her head with his palm, "I'll kill him and then we can be together, I promise."

"Just don't do anything stupid, it wouldn't help much if you ended up in Azkaban instead of me."

"Don't worry, Hermione… my Hermione…"

"Please let me stay with you tonight," she whispered, "Don't tell anyone that you are awake. Let me stay with you… one night, one night completely for ourselves."

He didn't answer; he just kissed the top of her head, then her cheeks and her mouth. She answered with a passion she didn't know she was capable of. Their tongues danced, clumsy of course but full of passion, love, sorrow and hate.

"This was unexpected…" A silky voice drawled from the doorframe, "Young Mr. Weasley, don't you know that it's totally forbidden too kiss another man's wife?"

"Malfoy…" Ron hissed. His grip around Hermione tightened whilst Hermione buried her face in his chest, not daring to meet the other man whom she knew now approached from behind.

_And it feels  
And it feels like  
Heaven's so far away  
And it stings  
Yeah it stings now  
The world is so cold  
Now that you've gone away_

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sighs boring? I know and i'm sorry for that mr. Malfoy just got one or two words in this one sad but true...


	10. Black and white

**Yay! **My beta is back! -jumps up and down whilst singing a song- so her's the first of the three earliear Un-betaed chapters I've uploaded. So for all of you whom been keeping yourself from reading because of an un-betaed chapter, here they are!

**Disclaimer: **I know they aren't mine, they belongs to JK Rowling, the one and only. bows for the almighty JK whom created such a delicious character such as Lucius Malfoy

**Disclaimer (again):** All of you know by now that the lyric writen in italic style doesn't belong to me, in this chapter it belongs to the fabulous Swedish band In Flames falls down, worshiping the swedish music

Ah! So the only thing left for you to do is to enjoy this chapter and then fall down and worship ME! -choughs- just kidding, leave a nice review and I'll be fairly hapy!

Have a Nice reading-time whilst I'll write the next chapter!

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**Black & White**

_I am one with the world tonight  
I am proud to be this far from you_

_you say that you have no regrets  
but I know that you do  
you told me someone stole the eye  
I know him too  
_

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as though she was playing a childhood game where you were invisible when you closed your eyes. She heard Ron's ragged breathing and the clicking sound from Lucius black boots.

"Get out of my room you filthy, pervert, death eater, bastard!" Ron hissed through clenched teeth.

"Manners, Weasley," Lucius drawled in an icy tone.

"If you don't leave this instant then you'll regret it," Ron whispered in a threatening voice, which broke several times when the redhead had to cough and draw breath, due to some strange oxygen loss.

"I'll give you some advice, Weasley, even though I don't normally like to talk with your kind off filth, don't stand in my way _boy_, because in your state I'd crush you like the irritating bug you are." Lucius was perfectly calm, as if he and Ron were chitchatting about the weather, and not threatening to crush him.

"I'm going to kill you, you are _soooo_ dead!" Ron growled, his tight grip around Hermione loosened and she knew from earlier experience that he was about to attack Lucius.

"Ron… don't…" She pleaded, still keeping her eyes firmly shut.

"By all means, Weasley, have a go," Lucius' laugh echoed in Ron's little room, Hermione knew that that blasted smirk was pasted upon his lips.

Hermione knew that there would be fighting next and hung on to Ron, thus stopping him from throwing himself at Lucius. Ron struggled against her, trying to break free, but Hermione knew that Ron's health was in Jeopardy and fought hard to hold him in place.

"Hermione! Let go of me! I'll crush him!" Ron growled and tugged at her arm, which was wrapped around his neck.

"Tut, tut, Weasley, you can't even beat a girl, what makes you think that you'll stand a chance against me?" Lucius asked in a mocking tone.

Ron growled and Hermione had no chance to stop him when he tore himself loose from her grip and then threw himself from the bed. Hermione turned around and found Lucius Malfoy in the doorframe. He had his long, blond hair tied back with an emerald coloured velvet ribbon, his black cape hung from his shoulders and his expensive clothes were perfect as always, his boots were black and his hands were clad in black leather. He held his snake headed cane in a lazy manner, but she knew that inside that cane he hid a deadly weapon. Ron was just one or two meters from Lucius when a shrill and _very_ familiar voice broke up the moment:

"RONALD!"

Hermione heard thumping footsteps and then a door that slammed shut. She saw a crying Mrs Weasley whom brushed past Lucius Malfoy as if he was air and then threw herself at her protesting son. Hermione watched them, Molly cried, laughed and cried a little more before she could collect herself and withdraw from her numb son. After a couple of seconds Mrs Weasley seemed to remember something and that angry wrinkle in her forehead became visible.

"Ronald Weasley! What are you doing wandering around? You should be in bed!"

"I'm fine, mum!" Ron snarled and an angry blush crept over his cheeks.

Hermione's eyes tracked Lucius Malfoy whom still stood in the doorframe, amusingly watching the little family reunion. Oh how she wished that she could wipe away that smirk which played on his lips.

"Bed – NOW!" Mrs Weasley growled and took a protesting Ron with her to his hospital bed and then forced him to lie down and tugged the sheets around him.

Hermione stared wide eyed, poor Ron, a mother like that couldn't be easy to handle. But on the other hand she was very grateful that she had arrived because only god knew what would have happened otherwise.

"Who told you about me being awake?" Ron asked in a low tone.

"Oh that was so unexpected you see… because it was…"

"I did you that favour, Weasley," Lucius Malfoy drawled from his post in the doorframe.

"OH! Mr Malfoy, I didn't see you there," Mrs Weasley greeted coolly.

"I'm just here to bring my fiancée to our meeting," Lucius answered in a frosty tone.

"To bring your…?" Mrs Weasley finally recognized Hermione's presence, her eyes widened and then she rose from Ron's bed and stalked forward to Hermione and hugged her tight. "My dear child, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there… I was so caught up with the fact that my dear little Ronniekins woke up!"

"I understand…" Hermione whispered.

"Touching indeed but we have an appointment, Hermione – the law remember? And I'm not keen upon the fact that you already have ignored one off our meetings, with two today."

"You won't take this poor girl anywhere!" Molly snarled and put a comforting hand around Hermione's shoulders.

"You are going against the law, Weasley," Lucius sneered and took one or two steps forward.

"You are going to leave this room this instant!" Molly shouted and pointed towards the door, "I don't accept your presence here!"

"You won't get away with this, Weasley, mark my words, mark my words!" Lucius threatened, he spun on his heel and his black coat swirled around him as he, with a huge bang, slammed the door shut.

"T-t-thank you, Mrs Weasley," Hermione stuttered, "b-b-but won't you get into trouble because off this?"

"Nothing to worry about, dearest," Mrs Weasley smiled, "Soon everyone will be here and celebrate Ron's awakening… but until they arrive – what about a nice piece of pie?"

_  
I've come to the conclusion, yes I know  
That between black and white  
There is no room for two  
The scale it might be wide  
But there's no need to be blind  
Between black and white there is no room for two_

_I leave all the grey behind  
I see clear, I know that I'll find_

You shouldn't play with fire because you could get burned, a very fitting term, but fire wasn't enough to describe Lucius Malfoy's mood right now. Outraged or livid was maybe fitting because right now Lucius Malfoy had a serious desire too kill something.

'_That won't come cheap – I'll get her…'_ he thought as he walked through the black corridors of St. Mungo's hospital, '_No It won't come cheap; I'll wait for her here, no matter how long her visit will be, I'll get her… and that infernal Weasley woman will pay dearly for daring to crossing my path._'

He stopped in the shadow; from there he had a marvellous view over the entrance to that Weasley brat's room. These dark corridors were exactly what he needed… dark corridors… he recalled that Hermione showed some interesting signs of extra fear whilst being in the dark, that was something Lucius found _very_ interesting.

Minutes passed him by before something happened, that annoying boy wonder and his redheaded fiancée arrived and later the whole remaining Weasley family including that stuck up perfect Percy and that Veela-related woman one of the older Weasley brother had married. Now the long wait began, he watched and waited, watched and waited…

_  
You claim that you are innocent  
But tell me who aren't  
You think that you're going to be saved  
There's no such thing as a saint_

_Black and White  
There's nothing in between  
Black and White  
Nothing's what it seems_

She didn't feel well; the celebrating had been going on for hours. Mrs Weasley's wonderful pies, cookies, gateaux and the like were mixed in a cheerfully mood with butterbeer and fire whiskey. She didn't know how the fire whiskey had been introduced to the party, but she suspected that it had something to do with the twins.

Any how, she'd had enough now and needed a breath of fresh air because her head ached and that surge in her stomach told her that she probably would puke soon. What had her mother told her? Don't mix alcohol with gateaux because you'll get sick.

'_Oh my sweet Merlin! I just had some small drinks of butterbeer, what's this? I didn't even touch that bottle of fire whisky_!' She thought as she punched the door to Ron's room open.

"Oy…! Mione where ya goin'? The party's just started!" Fred called from the other side of the room.

"Out! My head aches!" She called back in an angry tone, "And by the way! What did you spike that butterbeer with?"

"Noching! I did noching! It was all Gorgech idea, I schwear!" Fred answered in a drunken slur, "Juscht a tiny bit of alcohol to get this party schtarted…"

"I thought so," Hermione grumbled and exited the room on unsteady legs.

'_Wonderful, just wonderful – an empty hospital corridor without lamps or even torches_!' She thought and stared into the complete darkness, '_My luck I suppose, some how I always find myself in some abandoned, dark, creepy corridor! Damn my luck_!'

'_You'll just turn around, nice and slow and enter Ron's room again and nothing bad will happen to you,_' she inwardly told herself and turned around to enter the room again.

Everything happened so fast, first she stood in front of the door, almost touching the door handle and then she heard the sound of boots against floor. Someone pulled her into a tight grasp and then a voice spoke:

"_Aparishun._"

She should have known, yes _known_ that this would happen. She didn't even bother to guess by whom she'd been taken; Lucius of course. She could smell him, always that proper smell of aftershave and neatly washed (if not) new clothes.

Everything went black as they apparated. She felt a surge in the pit of her stomach. She felt ill, even more now then before, but god be damned if she puked now. It was a shaky ride, darkness and light mixed in a strange combination.

Suddenly they hit ground, she (whom already was unsteady due to the twins' practical joke) was about to fall to the ground but Lucius strong arms kept her from falling. He let go of her, taking a few steps backwards, allowing her to adjust herself.

Her eyes travelled over the room, a room which apparently was some sort of living room or the like. In a corner a huge, green, old-fashioned sofa with ebony sofa legs was placed, along the walls huge cabinets with crystal windows were positioned. Behind those windows she spotted a huge collection of expensive liquor, such as whiskey and brandy. She spotted a pair of huge windows which were draped with emerald green velvet draperies. On the wall she saw numerous of paintings depicting strict, sneering and steel-eyed men.

'_Just as if it weren't enough with one pair of those horrible eyes in this room,_' she thought hatefully.

She squirmed as he suddenly reached out and grabbed her jaw, forcing her eyes to meet his. Inside those irises a winter storm raged, she recognized that winter storm; fury.

"One doesn't neglect me, Hermione… don't you ever forget that, never!" His eyes narrowed and the grip became almost painful.

"Let go of me!" She managed and gripped round his arm in a pitiful attempt to make him let go.

"You know I won't…" He smiled against her, a creepy smile, almost nice, "I won't hurt you with hexes and curses… but I know your worst fears, deep down inside you're hiding them, never letting them show… but I've seen them, I can smell your fear… its sweet, oh so sweet."

She wriggled as his hand pinched her cheeks, it hurt, not as a hex would but still she felt the stinging, and that pain caused by someone's bare hand, and that scared her. Something caused by a wand was something different, more effective and painful, but doing it the "muggle way" had always frightened her more. Had to be something she'd been fed with since her earliest years, fed with the fear of a psychical blow, or the fear of a slicing knife… blood on someone's hands, the manic sparkle within someone's eyes just before the final stab with a butcher knife or axe… her first "real" nightmare had been about Jack the Ripper.

"Oh yes, that's it… remember, Hermione, I can see it in your eyes that you understand… I'm not a pleasant person when I'm angry… _not_ pleasant at all."

"You are sick…" She whispered, "Sick and sadistic, how can one find pleasure in someone's fear? That desire I can see in your eyes, how is that possible?"

"Fear, knowledge and money… three keys to power… dominance is power; you'll get dominance through fear…" Lucius smiled and let go of her cheeks, "My desire for you is deep because you deny me yourself… I'll show you everything about desire, _my_ desire in just a few days….until then I want you to be a good girl and behave."

_Black and White_  
_There's nothing in between  
Black and White  
Nothing's what it seems_

_

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_

Feed me! Give me my air... uhm - give me reviews :) -twinkle-Love all of you whom reviewing my work, it means a lot to me!  
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**Coming up:**  
In next chapter we'll be intruduced to a mysterious dress and Cherlock-Lucius ;) See yah!


	11. A Virgin's Suit

**Ay!** here's the second un-betaed chapter, which **NOW** are betaed because my beta's back and everything is back on track - everything's fine. So may I sugest that you all just scramble of and read this chapter?

**Disclaimer:** Nope folks, they belongs to JK's universe of marvelous creatures!

**Disclaimer:** And this lovely lyric belongs to Edguy and is called "Painting on the wall"

Enjoy:)

* * *

**A virgin's suit**

_Strong on your feet, you were blinded  
Building up a tower on shaking ground  
Once in a world full of colours  
Back to see just ruins there to be found  
_

'_Ouch_'

Her head hurt, she turned around and stared at the wall for a moment or two. This wall was familiar to her, red as a rose and decorated with golden spots and ribbons. What a lovely wall, really, until now she hadn't paid it much attention… but really, it was beautiful, comforting and… and _very_ Gryffindor!

'_There'll be no more red walls in your future,'_ she thought and suffocated her threatening tears.

'_No, no more red walls, he'll probably place you in a dark dungeon,_' she grimly answered herself.

'_This happens a__ lot, doesn't it? I mean, ever since this started you've been debating with yourself… kind of funny, I mean, who, besides you, knows how you're feeling_?' Her mind stated, Hermione sighed irritated and glared at one large spot on the wall.

"Just shut up, I don't have the energy to talk with you today," she answered the cynical voice in her head.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mione; I didn't know you were in a mood," Ginny's voice answered.

Hermione blinked and turned around to face her friend. Ginny stood in the doorframe watching her uncomfortably. Hermione sighed and answered in an irritated voice:

"Don't be silly, I was just talking to myself. Sit down by all means!" she answered and patted a spot beside herself in the large, king-size bed with red silk sheets and pillows.

"Umm… right," Ginny answered and slumped down on Hermione's bed, nervously watching her hands.

"What's up, Ginny, you look a bit… tense?" Hermione offered and watched the redhead who apparently didn't want to meet her gaze.

"Luciuswantsyoutobuyaweddingdress," Ginny answered in a hasty slur.

"Excuse me?"

"Lucius wants you to buy a wedding dress," Ginny squeaked.

"EXCUSE ME!" Hermione shrieked and rose from her comfortable half-lying position.

"_L-U-C-I-U-S_ W-A"

"I heard you! But why? And how do you know?" Hermione answered and gritted her teeth.

"I overheard him talking to Draco downstairs and… hey! _HERMIONE,_ where are you going?"

Hermione had (in the moment when Ginny mentioned Lucius name) crawled of her bed, sprinted towards her wardrobe and unearthed a pair of black gym shoes and then (whilst still trying to tie her shoes) half walk, half run, towards a painting portraying a wizard with a high, purple and pointy hat.

"I'm going to collect myself a wedding dress! Wanna come?" Hermione answered over her shoulder, then facing the portrait and said in a hasty voice, "The password is: Friends."

"Have a pleasant day, miss," the old wizard in the strange hat answered and the portrait swung open.

"But, Mione, I've got classes and…"

"You are excused, as Head Girl I command you to accompany me to Hogsmeade!" Hermione shrieked and then turned to the old wizard who hung upside-down, "If anyone questions you about me I'll be in the library – _studying_, got it?"

"Absolutely, miss," the old wizard answered.

Soon the sound of two voices cut through the air, Hermione knew them, Lucius and Draco Malfoy. How they always seemed to infiltrate her chambers was a mystery to her, but she supposed that it had something to do with her brainless little fairy-girl sentry.

"Hermione, I…" Ginny whispered.

"NOW, GINNY!" Hermione hissed.

The redhead nodded and sprinted toward Hermione, the portrait slammed shut and Hermione cursed the loud sound. They found themselves in complete darkness but Hermione was far to busy to notice that. She fumbled inside her Hogwarts uniform pockets and she found her wand and whispered:

"_Lumos._"

"Ouch!" Ginny whined.

"Hush!" Hermione commanded, "What's with you?"

"My hair is pinned in this door-painting-whatever it is," Ginny hissed and then whined in pain as she tore her red hair lose from the painting-frames death grip.

"There, there…" Hermione muttered and began walking.

"What is this place?" Ginny muttered under her breath.

"It's a secret passage to the dungeons; through here you can take another secret passage towards Hogsmeade," Hermione informed her.

"How did _you_ find it?"

"Dumbledore told me about it, I suppose he wanted me to have an emergency exit."

"Wonderful," Ginny muttered, "Did you bring any money?"

"No I didn't, but I suppose that the little bank-office could arrange that… I think I have enough money in my vault," Hermione answered.

"I'm sure that you could show your head girl bandage and take some money from Hogwarts' vault… or…"

"Or what?" Hermione questioned.

"Hermione, you aren't carrying that minister-letter about that god damned law, are you?" Ginny asked in an excited voice.

"Of course I am! I always carry it with me, somehow hoping that I will find a loophole… so what?"

"Hermione, don't you see? _That_ letter emphasize that you'll marry Lucius! Show that to the banker and you'll be guarantied to empty Lucius' vault!"

"Are you crazy? He would kill me!" Hermione protested.

"It's not like he'll notice… that's if he is as rich as Draco always tells us." Hermione could almost hear Ginny smirking.

"You are a pearl, Ginny," Hermione laughed.

"And if the banker refuses you always could ask the shop to send Lucius the bill…"

"Oh the look on his face when those bills arrive would be priceless!" Hermione squeaked, "Too bad that I can't do it… he would strangle me with his bare hands."

"Come on, Hermione! It couldn't be that bad, could it?"

'_You have no idea,_' Hermione thought and shivered.

'_But what the heck, you would be in trouble any way. Why can't you just try to put up against him? Remember? You promised yourself that you wouldn't break that easy! Allow yourself to have a bit of fun in this otherwise depressive fate_!' Another voice in her head argued.

'_But…_'

'_No buts! Just do it!_'

"Alright!" Hermione said and laughed, "I'll do it!"

"So you will send Lucius the bill?" Ginny asked as they reached the end of the tunnel.

"Hell yes," Hermione answered and smirked, that smirk would have made Lucius proud.

_And now you're falling, crawling  
digging in the broken remains  
of what had to be taken for strong  
slowly it's been fading away_

"She isn't in here, father," Draco informed Lucius.

"I can see that!" Lucius spat and let his gaze wander around Hermione's bedchamber.

"Well, I suppose that she's in the library then," Draco offered and turned around to exit Hermione's private chambers.

"Stop," Lucius sneered, "Have patience my son, she just left this room… and she didn't pass us."

"What are you trying to say?"

Lucius wrinkled his forehead whilst studying Hermione's bed; he walked forward and touched her red sheets with a wary hand, smoothed the wrinkles and patted a specific spot. Then he smirked and turned around to face a curious looking son.

"She was alarmed by someone, Miss Weasley think. They sat here and… Hermione got upset and sprinted towards this wardrobe." Lucius pointed towards Hermione's wardrobe.

"How did you know? And why Weaselette?" Draco wondered in amazement.

"I can see Hermione's body print on her sheets, I can see another body print here…" Lucius said and pointed at a specific spot on Hermione's bed, "And… the print is light, not likely left by a boy or young man. That makes me guess that it was another female in her bed… and Hermione's best friend is young Miss Weasley, am I right?"

"Yes, the two of them are best friends from what I've been told," Draco confirmed.

"Good," Lucius murmured and walked towards Hermione's wardrobe and opened the door slightly.

Inside there was a mess; jumpers and trousers were mixed in a huge colourful mess, something Lucius found very disturbing, a neat girl like Hermione wouldn't have such a chaos in her nearness. He picked up a pair of jeans and studied them for a while, then let them drop on the floor, which was also decorated with socks and other articles of clothing.

"She was looking for something…" He murmured and touched a pair of her black knickers in an almost sick fashion, "But what…?"

He dug deeper in the mess of scattered clothes at the wardrobe's bottom, as if he was searching for something special, but he didn't find it. That made him smirk even wider then before, he almost laughed when he turned to Draco.

"She has left the castle."

"What makes you think that?" His son questioned while raising an elegant blond eyebrow.

"I can't find any shoes in there," Lucius answered and studied her room once again, "A proper wardrobe should at least contain one pair of outdoors shoes, don't you think?"

"Well…"

"And look here…" Lucius triumphed as he picked up a pair of indoors shoes, the same as Draco's but a smaller size of course.

"So she has left the castle, but through where?" Draco wondered.

"Through there," Lucius answered and pointed towards a painting portraying an old wizard with a white beard and a funny looking purple hat.

"How do you kn-"

"Know that?" Lucius finished for his son, really, was the boy so thick headed? "Just take a look at that frame; do you see anything out of the ordinary?"

"No?" Draco answered quickly without even paying the frame much attention.

Lucius sighed irritably and Draco seemed to realise that he'd just given his father the wrong answer, he took a closer look and then his eyes widened in amazement. Lucius smirked; the boy was quick witted after all, something he as a father appreciated.

"There's some hair there… red hair!"

"Thank Merlin," Lucius muttered; it wouldn't do if his son was stupid.

"So… what do we do now?" Draco wondered and took one or two steps closer to the painting, "We've found the secret passage but what's next?"

"We'll just have to ask the nice man in the picture, Draco," Lucius drawled and stepped in front of the old wizard, "How do I pass through you, my old friend?"

"You'll have to speak the right password, sir," the old man answered.

"The right password?" Draco repeated, "But that could be anything!"

"Yes, whatever Hermione has chosen to be her password," Lucius confirmed calmly.

"Argh!" Draco groaned, "Listen up, old fool! Open up and let us pass!"

"Take it easy, boy," Lucius sneered and turned to the old wizard again, "You'll have to excuse my son, he's a bit impatient…how many attempts do we have?"

"I can guarantee you three, sir."

"Splendid," Lucius answered and gazed around the room again, hoping to find a clue to what the password might be.

His eyes tracked every little detail in her room, from the huge amount of books to the numerous photographs in their frames that were positioned in her room. His eyes found a cat-basket which probably belonged to her orange and ugly cat.

"What's the name of her cat?" He asked his son.

"Crocksank or Crockwank, I think," Draco answered and sighed, "No wait… I think it was Crookshanks… yes, Crookshanks, that's the name of her fucking beast."

"Crookshanks," Lucius spoke to the painting. The old wizard shook his head slowly and Lucius cursed under his breath.

'_Not the name of her cat then… what about something that contains her books_?'

"Hogwarts: a History," He tried and the old wizard shook his head again.

'_Damn_!'

Lucius stared at the painting, trying to read something in the old wizard's face, something that could hand him a clue about what the password could be – anything – an emotion, a reaction, something hidden inside those acrylic, blue eyes.

"What about, 'I'm a stuck up know-it-all that always runs away and hide behind my _friends_ when there's trouble around the corner'?"

Lucius was about to silence Draco when he caught a glimpse of insecurity in the painting's eyes, an emotion that told Lucius that something that Draco said where at least linked to the password. Lucius turned to his son again, excitement playing on his face.

"What did you just say, Draco?"

"I said…_What about: I'm a stuck up know-it-al that always runs away and hide behind my friends when there's trouble_-"

"Stop!" Lucius ordered, he saw it again, that little glimpse of familiarity.

'_What in that sentence made the old fool react_?' Lucius questioned himself again whilst searching for something in her room again, trailing his eyes over her photos, containing her family and her friends.

'_Friends_…' He thought, '_Friends_…'

"Friends," he spoke and was about to laugh when the portrait swung open before them and revealed a dark tunnel.

"What's this? Why does she have a secret tunnel when I don't?" Draco complained, "She's Head Girl and has got a secret tunnel! But I'm HEAD BOY and haven't!"

"Stop that infernal whining, Draco. It's not suitable for a boy at your age!" Lucius growled and entered the tunnel.

They walked through the darkness, guided only by the tiny light that their wands gave them. They were silent, listening to each other's breaths and the clicking sound that travelled to their ears when their boots came in contact with the floor.

"Look, a door!" Draco suddenly spoke and pointed with his wand at an old decayed door with iron mountings.

Lucius nodded and then tried the doorknob, the door slowly glided open with a loud whine. They found themselves in a cold, damp and dark dungeon. Lucius eyes searched through the dungeon hoping to find something interesting that could tell him about where Hermione and Ginny had gone to. But he found nothing, except a little pile of rotten straws and an old rusty iron bucket.

"Hey! Look, the old stone dragon!" Draco spoke in amazement; the young boy had opened the old and rotten door that led the way out to a deserted corridor.

"What about it?" Lucius sneered.

"I can imagine that you weren't into rule breaking when you were at school father," Draco said and smirked.

"No, as a matter of fact, I weren't. I made others break the rules for me, a Malfoy never does the dirty work by himself," Lucius sneered and threw his son an icy stare; the young man lowered his gaze and nodded, "Well, what's with that old dragon statue?"

"It's the guarder to a secret tunnel that leads the way to Hogsmeade…" Draco whispered, "The password is: _abscondo._"

"Good boy," Lucius drawled and pushed the old door wide open, thus revealing a corridor, slightly lit up by two old torches.

In a niche, by the tuff surroundings and damp milieu, he found a roughly treated stone dragon. The dragon held a cross upside-down in a large paw, it sat on a crystal ball and its large eyes seemed to stare out at everything in its nearness.

"_Abscondo,_" Draco spoke and the dragon's mouth fell open in an almost amusing gesture.

"Now what?" Lucius questioned.

"Wait a moment…" Draco said, "There!"

Some bricks in the wall started to shift and shake, the whole wall seemed to vibrate and suddenly a tunnel was exposed. Inside some torches threw a dim light and the sound of sparkling fire echoed in the darkness, Lucius nodded and then entered the tunnel with Draco in tow.

"This tunnel will take us to Hogsmeade," Draco informed and Lucius reminded himself to give Draco something nice.

_Come into the painting on the wall  
so the joker smiles  
come into the painting on the wall  
no more crying  
illusions let you in from the rain  
follow Mr. Hopkins, get insane_

Hermione entered the store anxiously; she bit her bottom lip whilst studying all those lovely dresses and other expensive clothes in the store. Ginny at her right almost jumped up and down on the spot while studying every little dress, pearl and gem in the shop, clearly she was enjoying herself.

"Umm…Gin, are you sure we ought to buy the dress here? I mean, it's very expensive, and surely even a man like Lucius would notice if three hundred galleons went missing?"

"Oh shut it, Mione! You are going to _marry_ him, I'm sure he'd like you to look beautiful at your wedding, otherwise people would think of him as poor," Ginny told her friend in a definite tone.

"Hope you are right," Hermione whispered while stroking a white dress with ocean blue pearls.

"OH! Look at this!" Ginny squeaked and tore a midnight blue dress loose from its hanger, "You'll look adorable in this one!"

"Oh no," Hermione said and backed away with her arms crossed over her chest, "I'll look like an old hag or something."

"But, Mione," Ginny complained, "What will you wear? That one?"

The redhead pointed at a flat white dress without embroideries, pearls or gems. It looked a little like one of those Lucia-gowns that the girls wore in the muggle-world whilst celebrating saint Lucia. Hermione's eyes lit up, it was perfect! So simple…._simple_!

'_Yes simple, that's it! I won't dress up for him; I'll keep it simple to show him how much I despise him and the whole lot_!'

"Oh no, I was just kidding," Ginny said as she recognized Hermione's expression.

"Oh yes! It's perfect!"

"You can't be serious! You'll look like a witch on her way to the stake! Or like a virgin on her way to a virgin-sacrifice," Ginny complained.

"I am both of them," Hermione informed her darkly as she thought about the fact that her virginity would be sacrificed to the devil himself.

"You are impossible," Ginny hissed, "You'll of course enter the ceremony barefoot with a garland of flowers in your hair?"

"What a great idea, Gin!"

"I didn't mean it!" Ginny snarled whilst raising her voice one octave or two.

"What's going on here?" A voice called and from behind the shop's desk a chubby man emerged.

"Oh sorry" Hermione said whilst handling the dress, "How much would you take for this one?"

"Oh that?" The shops owner asked in an amazed voice, "The virgin's suit?"

"The virgin's what?" Hermione questioned, "Oh never mind, how much is it?"

"Four hundred galleons. A rare dress I must say, very rare…" The chubby man informed her.

"Four hundred?" Ginny squeaked, "For that old piece of junk?"

"I'll take it!" Hermione said in a definite voice.

"You'll pay in cash or would you rather have us send you a payment check?" The owner asked while walking behind his desk.

"Send my husband a payment check, I've got no cash at the moment," Hermione said while offering the owner the ministry letter that told everyone that she was engaged to Lucius Malfoy.

"You are engaged to Lucius _Malfoy_?" the owner asked in amazement.

"Yes," Hermione confirmed, "It's all written in that letter."

"It could be a counterfeit letter."

"You know very well that no-one is able to counterfeit a ministry seal," Hermione said in a stern voice, "Would you like me to inform my husband that you refused me a dress?"

"O-o-of course not, Mrs. Malfoy," The poor owner stuttered and paled remarkably, clearly the Malfoy name still spread terror whilst mentioned in the right consistency.

"Good, you can send the check to our home, Malfoy manor."

"Right away, Mrs Malfoy, right away… just sign here please," The owner pushed a payment check and a pencil towards Hermione whom signed it with her usual, neat handwriting.

"Thank you," Hermione spoke in a crisp voice and stuck her nose in the air in a very Malfoyish fashion.

"Good day to you," Ginny added and grabbed the bag which contained Hermione's dress.

"Have a nice day, ladies," the owner spoke weakly.

When the doorbell rang and the door closed behind them both Hermione and Ginny started laughing, Ginny almost cried and Hermione had to bend over from laughing.

"That was hilarious," Ginny informed while gasping for air.

"Yes," Hermione answered and wiped her eyes, "Let's celebrate at the Three Broomsticks."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, "I think I've got enough small change to afford that for both of us"

"Good, I don't think Lucius would like to pay my butterbeer."

The two girls strode off to the bar; totally missing two pair of silver-grey eyes that tracked them down, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm and they continued to laugh at their victory over the shop owner, over Lucius Malfoy and over the whole damn day.

_Stories are told, wanna hear him?  
Talking from the picture to your head  
Follow the call of a puppet  
Led into a black room painted red_

Lucius watched his future bride as she, still laughing, took hold of the infernal little redheaded Weasley girl. He wondered why they were laughing, why they carried a bag from the dress-shop '_Cornwall's Wizard's Clothing_' and _why_ they had decided to go shopping in the middle of a school day.

"Draco, follow them, I'll have a little chat with Cornwall…" Lucius ordered, "Follow them discreetly and don't let them know you are trailing them… I'll catch up with you."

"Yes, father," Draco answered and strode off.

Lucius walked towards Cornwall's little shop. He briefly knew the owner, his dead wife Narcissa had been a very good costumer in that shop for over twenty years but he himself had only entered the shop one or two times during that twenty year cycle. The doorbell rang as he entered the shop, he found Mr. Cornwall behind his desk, nervously watching his hands.

"Ahhh, Mr. Cornwall… just the man I was looking for…" Lucius spoke with his velvet voice.

"Mister Malfoy," the chubby man with the name Cornwall gasped in shock. He paled remarkably as he backed away.

Lucius' elegant eyebrow rose on his forehead, Cornwall's reaction and facial expression alone told him that he was scared… but why? Lucius knew that his name was feared, but not this way because he hadn't spoken a threat yet… if not…

"Aren't you pleased to see me, Cornwall?"

"O-o-of course, Mr. Malfoy… I-I-I'm thrilled, b-b-but sir, your wife… the young woman?"

"My wife?" Lucius eyes widened as he realised about whom Cornwall was talking.

"Yes, the young woman… she bought a dress, s-s-sending you the payment check… s-s-sir," Cornwall stuttered and handed Lucius the little piece of paper with a shaking hand.

'_Hermione_…' Lucius thought as he read her signature, '_Hermione MALFOY?_'

'_Wait a minute? Four_ _hundred galleons? That little shit! She's shopping in my name armed with that ministry letter! Oh that clever little bitch, I'll get her for this_!'

"What did she buy?" He asked calmly and faced the terrified shop owner.

"A dress, sir… a very rare dress, made for virgins, sir, virgins before their wedding night indeed…" Cornwall licked his dry lips, "There are very few of them left, they were all made for an old wizard ceremony… making the virgins more… more _desirable_ at the wedding night…"

"A virgin's suit," Lucius smirked as he thought about the irony.

'_My dear little Hermione, you have no idea about what you've gotten yourself into_…'

"Thank you, Mr. Cornwall. I'll pay for the dress now… in cash."

Lucius handed a very confused Mr. Cornwall the huge amount of money that the dress cost and then left the shop. The doorbell rang behind him as he closed the door, a very pleased smile graced his lips, and this was indeed something rare…

'_A virgin's suit._'

_Where life is painless, brainless  
you don't think of broken remains  
of what had to be taken for strong  
slowly it's been fading away_

_

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_

**Angels-Giggles:**  
I'm very pleased that you like my fic :)

**GEmory:**  
You have no idea ;) Oh… what if Draco touched Hermione… moahahaha wait and see… wait and see…

**Dark Secret1:**  
You didn't notice? Wow… that's… great :) I'm so pleased hope this chapter where just as good then! Yeah, in real trouble she is… maybe she don't know _how_ much yet. -laughs- I liked Molly too.

**Sexy-jess:**  
Thanks for reviewing!

**Milady Midnight:**  
Hmm… the lyrics, yes maybe I don't need them, but they kind of… getting me in the right mood to write, I hope you don't get to annoyed with them… Other ways, thanks for your lovely review, I'm so glad you didn't find that un-beataed chapter annoying.

**Morrigane:**  
-laughs- yes Lucius, I'm waiting too -drools-

**Anonymous:**  
Yeah – I'm a cruel person.

**Storygirl2009:**  
I so love your reviews, they always inspire me to write more – thank you!

**Dracodolenz:**  
THANKS:)

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx:**  
Thanks for another lovely review!

Love you all!

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**Coming up:  
**We'll face an anyoing Ginny, and a dress whos only wish is to harm non virgins -gasps- and _Harry_ is a stallion in bed! -gasps- and what will Hermione find in the libary? -coughs-


	12. Of White Dress and Stubborn Lions

**Ta-da!** Lookie, the third un-betaed chapter which now is betaed thanks to my wonderfull beta :)

**Disclamier: **Gues what? The don't belong to me:) JK - they are all yours!

**Disclamier:** And the lyric? -aw- you know by now don't you? Belongs to Nightwish, is called baregrace missery.

Enjoy!

**

* * *

Of White Dresses and Stubborn Lions**

_Sweet boy, come in  
I am the dark side of you  
Die for my sins_

_Like the One once did  
Cinnamon bed  
For your unashamed appetite  
A figurine_

This dance will hurt like hell 

"Aw, Hermione, try it on. Let me see," Ginny begged for the fifth time.

"Why?" Hermione looked up from her book with a bothered wrinkle in her forehead. Ginny had been bothering her ever since they bought that infernal dress yesterday.

"Because I want to see you in it. Aren't you curious at all? Where did you put it? I could braid your hair and I could get you some make-up and then create a garland of flowers for you," Ginny squealed and waved her hand in front of Hermione's field of vision, thus stopping her from reading.

"Ginny, stop it, I mean it, I DON'T WANT TO DRESS UP IN THAT DRESS UNTIL I ABSOLUTELY _HAVE_ TO!" Hermione growled as she slapped Ginny's hand away from her book.

"Okay, okay. Easy, Mione," Ginny said defensively and gave Hermione a hurt look, "I told you that you should have picked the blue one though… I'm sure you would have-"

"Ginny…"

"Sorry… but you don't mind me trying it on, do you?"

Hermione growled and tried to focus on her reading, this book in particular did usually distract her from the surroundings, but Ginny was an exception because you could not just ignore her. And if you tried to do so she always came up with a very sneaky plan to totally freak you out and then start terrorising you with an enormous amount of questions, statements about your hair, gossip or other things that could drive a sane person mad.

"Hello! Earth to Hermione, earth to Hermione! DO YOU MIND IF I-"

"Oh shut up, for Merlin's sakes, the dress is in my wardrobe, I trust that you can find your way through it even better then I can, am I right?"

Ginny's face reddened as she suddenly became very interested in her hands, she mumbled something in keeping with, "I can't help that your muggle clothes are so darn hot and cool."

Hermione frowned and just shook her head. It was true; wizard clothing wasn't cool, sexy, hot or even modern. To a muggle they would look like a wandering piece antique of clothing from the 17th century. Well, not that bad, but many muggles would think that a person that wore that kind of clothing was an actor on its way to a theatre. So Hermione could understand Ginny's obsession with her clothes (which in any case weren't the latest, top-modern fashion, because Hermione simply didn't care if her jeans weren't bought at the most flashy clothes store in London. But they were still better than Ginny's worn out, knitted, brown-reddish skirt). But from time to time it was annoying to have the redhead roaming through her closet; especially when she became obsessed with Hermione's knickers.

"Where did you put the bag, Hermione? I can't find it," Ginny called from Hermione's closet.

Hermione sighed and checked up from the book once again, very disturbed by the fact that she was distracted from her interesting read, which in this chapter was about, '_How to Decline a Grammatically Correct Spell: Verbs and Adverbs, Past and Present_'.

She spotted Ginny's back, where it stuck out from inside Hermione's closet. The redhead had literally buried her head in Hermione's huge mass of neatly folded clothes (It took Hermione about an hour to clean up the mess she'd caused when they fled before Lucius and Draco Malfoy).

"I put it under my green polo-neck sweater, beside my pile of jeans," Hermione described and began once again reading. Secretly hoping that Ginny would tire of her visit and go find her fiancée to spend some "quality time" with him and hopefully not produce some mini Ginny's whilst spending that "quality time".

'_Whilst declining the key word in the water-charm one, preferably, would make use of the right declining method. The key word has its origin in the Latin word for water, aqua, in the spell aquarcius, if one wishes to create a huge amount of water is this example the right one to use -_'

"OW!" Hermione was snatched out of her reading once again, this time by a franticly shrieking Ginny who jumped up and down with her right hand in the air, waving it, as if she had burned herself on a stove or something similar, hot object.

"What's the matter with you, I'm trying to read," Hermione growled, somehow thinking that Ginny just made one of her tactical attempts to make her mad and thus stop reading.

"It's your god damned dress," Ginny yelled and blew at her fingers, "It _burnt_ my hand!"

"Don't be silly, why would a dress burn you; the friend of all clothing?" asked Hermione sarcastically as frowned indignantly.

"Don't ask me. It's cursed, mark my words, _cursed_," Ginny sneered and stared frostily at the white pile of fabric on the floor that was Hermione's wedding dress.

Hermione frowned once again but put down her book and rose from her comfortable position in the warmed armchair. She strode over to Ginny who threw Hermione's dress death-glares, Hermione knew those glares; they meant a violent death for the object for Ginny's wrath.

"Where did it burn you?" She asked calmly.

Ginny reached out her right hand without a word, looking quite sulky. Hermione examined it and saw that Ginny actually had a reddish burning mark, covering most of her thumb, index finger and some parts of her palm and middle finger. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the fact that Ginny was right; the dress had actually burnt her.

"_Medicor._" Hermione had drawn her wand from the inner pocket of her school uniform and then spoke the healing charm, thus stopping Ginny's pain immediately. She bent forward and reached for the dress, curiously wondering if it would burn her too.

"Stop, Mione, it will burn you too. I promise you, that dress is evil."

Hermione swallowed but gripped the distinct white, soft fabric and… nothing happened, the dress was cool under her hand, cool and smooth, just as she remembered. Ginny stared at her in disbelief and then at her right hand which just moments before had been covered with a burning mark. The redhead reached out with her hand and touched the white fabric with her index finger.

"Ouch!"

Hermione almost laughed, the comical expression that played on Ginny's face was priceless. Her friend stared at her index finger which was now burning in a pink shade of red, clearly a burning mark.

"See? It doesn't like me! Yet you are allowed to touch it… do you think that the dress is intellectual? And that it dislikes me because I called it '_an_ _old piece of junk_'? Do you think that it understands what we're saying, Mione?" Ginny whispered in a reduced voice, as if she really believed that the dress understood them.

"No, Ginny… but, maybe it's cursed…" answered Hermione with a frown.

"Tsch," Ginny sucked at her finger, glaring at the dress, even worse now than before.

"Stop doing that. _Medicor_," said Hermione and relieved Ginny from the nagging pain in her fingertip.

"Cursed with what then, and why? I wouldn't dress up in that dress, Mione, if I were you. Who knows what it could do to you, scold all your skin off maybe?"

"Maybe I should try to figure out what's up with it…" Hermione stroked the fabric with her middle finger and stared off into space, as if trying to remember something, "Virgin's suit."

"What?"

"That's what the shop owner called it, Virgin's suit. Wait a moment. Ginny, are you still a… you know what?" Hermione's face reddened as she asked the question.

"A virgin?" Ginny laughed to the point of tears, "With Harry as a boyfriend? Are you kidding me? He's like a stallion in bed. You know what testosterone bulging teenage boys are like. He's got a talent with his tongue you know… once we tried to-"

"Thanks, that's enough, I didn't ask you to handle me a detailed account of the circumstances of yours and Harry's sex-life, thank you," Hermione snarled.

"But you _did_ ask me about it."

"No, I asked if you were still a _virgin,_" Hermione argued.

"And I told you that I wasn't," Ginny argued back, "Why did you want to know by the way?"

"Because I am," Hermione informed her.

"I knew that, or at least I _guessed_ that. If it's not too bold to ask you, but did you and my brother do anything at all, besides holding hands?"

"You don't have to be rude," Hermione muttered, "You see, I _think_ that this dress was made for virgins, and virgins only, get the picture? No one besides virgins are allowed to touch it…"

"But the shop owner touched it," Ginny pointed out, "And I can hardly believe that he's been living in celibacy… or do you think that he's some weirdo from one of those old Celtic assemblies where you are forbidden to even look at a naked individual from the other sex?"

"I don't think that men count, it's a woman's garment," Hermione explained.

Ginny muttered something under her breath that almost sounded like, '_What about those men that dress like women_?'

There was suddenly a knock on the door and minutes after Harry's head became visible as he stepped through the doorframe, he smiled a genuine smile before he said, "Ginny my love, wanna come with me to the dinner?"

"Isn't he the cutest?" Ginny cooed and smiled at her soon to be husband.

"Hermione, you are of course welcome to accompany us," Harry added hastily.

"No thanks, I think I'll go down to the kitchen and ask them to send me some food in the library."

"But you have already finished your N.E.W.T's; with top-score I might add. Why do you have to go to the library? Huh? You can't plead pressure of school," Harry said.

"Oh, but I have to… investigate a… thing," Hermione answered and fingered her dress.

"Alright… see you later, Mione," Ginny said and hugged Hermione briefly, making sure that she didn't touch her dress.

"Yeah, see you," Harry added and kissed his fiancée on the lips as they exited Hermione's room together. Hermione watched them with envy; she wished she could have a boyfriend like Harry, caring, loving, nice and gentle.

'_But noooo, Hermione dear, you'll get a sadistic ex-Death Eater, who is double your age, if not more. And as a bonus you'll get to adopt a smirking, ferret bastard_!' Her mind cynically told her.

'_Oh shut up, you're just making it worse,_' she snarled inside her head, thus stopping that mean and depressing voice from saying something more.

_Oh, bare grace misery  
Just a Child without a fairytale am I  
Dark but so lovely  
A Little Match Girl freezing in the snow_

_Love lying, enticing  
(Bare grace misery)  
Crowning the moment  
(Bare grace misery)_

_This is what I am  
Bare grace for the end of days_

Hermione flipped a page in the large book that lay on the table in front of her. She stifled a yawn and scanned through the page; nope, nothing interesting there neither. She closed the book with a loud bang and placed it amongst the other ones which were also useless in her search for the answer as to why her dress burned non-virgins. Her hand fumbled to her right and found the next book to investigate; this one was thin, old and frail. The cover was some sort of skin, probably dragon or something she thought. The title read: '_Celtic ceremonies _'.

'_Well let's try this one then._'

She flipped some pages, searching for nothing in particular. She browsed past sacrifices, druid-gods, childbirth ceremonies, war-ceremonies and death-ceremonies. She abruptly halted on '_Wedding-ceremonies'_ and a headline that read: '_The Golden Wedding_'.

On that page which contained the _Golden Wedding_ there was a drawing, picturing a young girl and a man, the man was dressed in a strange garment. But the girl, whom wore a garland of flowers in her hair, wore a white dress similar to Hermione's wedding dress. Under the drawing a text with ornate writing read: '_the magical virgin's suit_'.

'_Oh my gosh_,' Hermione held her breath as she began to read the text:

'_A golden wedding is the most powerful marriage known to wizard kind. The energy of an innocent paired with a partner from the other sex results in an explosion of power. For a long time wizards and druids tried to control that power, absorb it when an innocent was robed of their virginity. They were always failures, no one ever knew why. Some speculated about a god who guarded the innocent and therefore protected the power from others. Some talked about '_the right pairing_'. It had to be an attraction between the two lovers. Others talked about hate; the innocent had to hate the other part to unleash the power._

_There were many attempts to bring these reactions out during the wedding night. In Scandinavia (often in Svealand and the north of Norway) there were attempts with the wedding night being held under an oak and with the blood from a rooster on the innocent's hands. In ancient Egypt, wizards tried to put the other part of the lovemaking under psychosis and in that way control him or her. They thought that the one who was controlling the other could gather the power easier. _

_But the only attempt, which was crowned a success, occurred during the Celtic Golden Wedding. The very powerful wizard Alth-aczar forced a innocent mudblood to_-'

Hermione terminated her reading for a moment, it was a shock for her to read the word 'mudblood' in a book, but then again, this book was old, probably written at the time when mudbloods, half-bloods and muggles were openly hated by the purebloods. She sighed and began reading once again.

'…_Mudblood to marry him, he was driven by pure lust whilst she feared him. He gave her a Virgin's Suit as a gift, he commanded her to wear it during the ceremony, which she did. The function of the dress isn't quite known yet, some they say that the virgin becomes more desirable, some they say that the dress generates the innocent's fear and absorbing the other parts (lust) thus giving the right chemistry that will create the power flow. The tale about Alth-aczar tells that the girl gave birth to one of the worlds most feared and powerful wizards who walked the earth; Odin Ravenlord._

_Many copies were made of the Virgin's Suit. The original disappeared mysteriously after Alth-aczar's wedding night and hasn't been seen ever since. The copies were, most of the time, useless, some of them filled some functions but the chemistry was never the same again_."

Hermione closed the book and scowled, pure bullshit she thought. Stupid middle age authors who thought they knew something. She'd prefer the authors from the Artic, they were more realistic.

'_Power flow indeed_,'

She exited the library, still not knowing why her dress burned Ginny but not her. But she knew one thing; she'd tell Dumbledore that Hogwarts library contained racist books, which called muggle-born, mudbloods.

Romantic scent 

_Spoiled Lucrece lies warm for you  
There's no such priest  
That can pray me to heaven_

_When done with me  
Forget if you think I feel ashamed  
A wild thing  
Never felt sorry for anything  
Love lying..._

_

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_**Nightwater  
-**gasps- NO! Don't go insane!... then you won't be able to read further chapters ;)

**RnB Diva Gurl  
**-laughs- yes, That does it doesn't it? Evil and dangerous... -hehe- you missed "God-damned-hot-sneaky-sexy..." erhm... you see? I can't stop while I'm at it!

**Anonymous  
**What can I say? ) thanks for the review and thanks for supporting my story... and yes Hermiones reaction yes, what did ya think of Hermiones reaction?

**Storygirl2009  
**-laughs- yes, she's in trouble... but maybe, who knows what future brings? Oh! You're grounded? My, my, my - what have you done to deserve a fate like that? Hmm... how many chapters? I don't know really, but at least five or four more I think... maybe even more than that.

**Morrigane  
**Aw! You are mean! When I read "In my own" I thought that there were one LM/HG fic I had missed out to read, rushing to your page to read and... what did I find? I couldn't read it:'( because I can only read Swedish and English :-(... couldn't you, pretty please translate it to English? I'd love to read it!

**Dark Secret1  
**Thanks, I've been told my english is good, but not thet good so don't get my hopes up girl ;) -laughs- Hermione are a professional when it comes to get into trouble. Wait and see what happens in next cahppe (writing it right now actually) I can handle you a clue, she's getting drunk and whoops...! At some point Snape shows up too -hehe- the chapter will be called "The day before D-day" -hehe- that was a teaser ;)

**Mysticdrakraven**  
I'm doing my best over here :) thanks for the review!

**Sexy-jess  
**Not strange at all, I want you to think that and maybe that's what the suit is all about... maybe -evil chuckle- maybe... because, what's a LM/HG without sex... -thinking- I on the other hand are weird.

**Apollonia2  
**Nice too have you back! -laughs- yeah, what's up with the virgins suit? Any guesses? AW! Yes, she's a lucky bitch! -growls- I'd give anything to be able to switch places with her at once! And then she has the guts to sit and feel miserable! -ahhrg!-

**Vodkatears  
**NO! There arn't! -thumbs up for LM/HG- Why WHY can't people start writing instead of reading RW/HG's or HP/HG's :) -lol- there isn't anything writing with those ships but... well I want something to read also:'( I know! You scramble of to write your own :))

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx  
**Well -lol- that's not a good feeling! -coughs- but who knows:P I'm a weirdo so you can't bee too sure ;)

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**Coming up:  
**The day before D-day, Hermiones last day before the weding! -gasps- the next chapter (which I'm working on for the moment) will contain a botle of fire-whiskey and -gasps again- Snape!


	13. The day before Dday

**Oh! Lookie!** Next chapter!

Thanks to my very fast and brilliant beta this chapter where written, corrected and uploaded in one day! -yay- for us!

**Disclaimer: **They're JK's – I admit it! Not mine, nope – not at all!

**Disclaimer:** Oh! Oh! This one is special! It's classical music and its called "O Fortune" and where written –uhm- created by a gentleman called Orff. From the beginning it's written in Latin. And even though it in my fiction is called "poetry" it's far from the truth because "O fortune" from the masterpiece Carminaburana is music ladies and gent's fabulous music!

…  
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…

I'm sorry if Hermione in this chapter is a bit Ooc, but hey! The girl is about to marry her life's nemesis and you can't blame her for getting drunk? -coughs-

Enjoy :)

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**The day before D-day**

_O Fortune,  
like the moon  
you are changeable,  
ever waxing  
and waning;  
hateful life  
first oppresses  
and then soothes  
as fancy takes it;  
poverty  
and power  
it melts them like ice._

Hermione sat in her room, paralyzed watching the walls, at some point she pretended that she was at home, in her own room, watching her own white wall with pink ribbons. It had been a long time since she'd seen her home, almost two years. They had had a huge family tiff before her sixth year at Hogwarts. Her parents, especially her dad, had changed their minds since first year and wanted her to go to a common, ordinary muggle school. They somehow thought that she'd bee able to catch up with the other children.

But right now Hermione would give everything away, every inch of her magical life if she was be able to get home and live a normal life. But she knew she couldn't, even if she, in practice, was able to break her wand and ask Dumbledore for an obliviation. She was still convinced that she would feel stuffed with all that barraged magic inside her and not being able to use it.

'_Tomorrow, Hermione, you'll no longer be a Granger…_' her inner voice whispered.

It was a giddy thought that she, tomorrow night, would turn into Hermione Malfoy. Face a lifetime in Lucius Malfoy's clutches, live in his house, give birth to his child, being forced to have a civilized conversation with an albino ferret who's only goal in this life was to make her feel as miserable as possible.

"Hermione," She heard Harry's voice through the door off her bedroom, but she didn't want him to enter, she didn't want anyone to enter this night. She wanted her last hours of freedom to be on her own.

"Go away, Harry, I need to be alone," she called, not allowing the sadness in her voice to show.

"But, Hermione, I… can't you just please let me in for a second or two? I need to see you."

"No, Harry, GO A-W-A-Y! Go cuddle Ginny or something, I _W-A-N-T_ to be alone."

"I'm your friend, Mione; I don't want you to feel lonely at this moment! Ginny's here too, let us in. We just want to talk to you."

"We can stay the night if you'd like; to comfort you," Ginny's voice piped up from behind Harry's, by this time, twice repaired wooden door.

Hermione was about to have a hysterical outburst, she knew that they meant well, but right now she didn't want pity. The only thing she needed now was solitude. She rose from her bed and stalked towards her door, opening it slightly so that she could face her friends properly.

"No, No, and NO! God damn it, I want to be alone right now. Go shag each other senseless or some other distracting thing because I'm not in the mood for sympathy."

"Umm… sure, Hermione, sorry," Harry muttered and placed his arm around Ginny's shoulder.

"By the way, Hermione, Ron told me that he would be visiting you before the wedding," Ginny informed over her shoulder.

'_Bloody hell_,' she thought as she closed her door, '_I can't face him, sweet Merlin I'm not up to it_!'

She slumped down in a chair, staring at her huge amount of books, every single one containing old ministry laws and history about pure-blood marriage and modern wizard-ceremonies. She pounded her head onto her writing desk softly; she came to the conclusion that she needed distraction.

'_Read something interesting_,' she told herself, '_Yes… that'll distract me._'

She got up from her chair and began searching through her "light" reading bookcase, which only contained her "night" literature, which she used to read before turning the lights off at night. She browsed past: _Numerology and Grammatical_, _Travels with Trolls_, _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century_, _Curses and Counter Curses_, _Hogwarts: a History_, _Muggles Who Notice_ and _Rune Dictionary._ She even passed (on her bookcase) very rare, fantasy novels written by muggles: JRR. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings", David Ending's "The Belgaraid" and Polgara the Sorcerer – volume One and Two". She halted abruptly at _Antiquus Camena_, an old poetry collection written all in Latin, a language Hermione first had good command of in her sixth year.

'_Now my dear, we'll see if this distracts you_…' She mused as she picked the old book with a reddish-brown dust jacket.

Once again she slumped down in her chair, opened the book exactly in the right chapter to read her favourite poem, _O Fortuna_. Tempted by the lyric she began reading:

_Sors immanis  
et inanis,  
rota tu volubilis,  
status malus,  
vana salus  
semper dissolubilis_

'_Damn, it's not working, not WORKING_!'

'_With that attitude you'll never succeed to achieve distraction._'

'_But it's not working_.'

'_Concentrate_!'

_Obumbrata  
et velata  
michi quoque niteris;  
nunc per ludum   
dorsum nudum  
fero tui sceleris_

She slammed the book shut, and growled. It wasn't working and she was desperate to find something to take her mind of "things"; especially if Ron showed up.

'_Oh my gosh… I can't take it,_' she whined inwardly and began nervously wriggling her hands.

'_I need something for my nerves,_' she thought, '_a potion maybe? Dreamless sleep potion?_'

'_No, I don't want to sleep, then the time will go faster and I'll be Mrs. Malfoy before I've uttered the word marriage._'

'_Have a drink then. Accio a fire whiskey or something_,' a devilish voice inside her head cheered.

'_Are you insane or something_?' her logical voice argued, '_Are you suggesting that I get drunk? Dear Merlin, I've never gotten drunk in my whole life… alright, except for Ron's awakening last week, and that wasn't even my fault_.'

'_You know that you are referring to 'me' that is, yourself with a 'you'. You know, you might be suffering from schizophrenia_?' The devil inside her answered.

'_That won't help you. I'm not getting drunk, no matter what_.'

'_Suit yourself._'

Everything went silent. Hermione was still sat in her chair, staring numbly at the ceiling. Minutes passed as she continued to wriggle her hands. And the panic, nervousness, doubt, hate, anger, sorrow and helplessness were mixed in an emotional turmoil.

'_Argh! Alright, I'll summon some butterbeer, that won't hurt my reputation_.'

'_You're such a namby-pamby, you know that, right? Oh-my-gosh, and how, to be precise, much distraction do you think you'll get out of a butterbeer? Sweet Merlin the only thing you'll get out butterbeer is numerous toilets visits during the night._'

'_I am NOT a namby-pamby._'

'_Prove it._'

'_Why_?'

'_You're a namby-pamby,_' her devilish voice called in a sing-song voice.

"Accio fire whiskey," she called out loud, unaware of the fact that she'd done the correct movement with her wand as well.

Minutes later there was a loud crashing sound above her, through her window a large glass bottle came flying through. Hermione had to duck as the bottle, with a thumping sound, hit the floor and by some strange miracle, it didn't break.

'_Good one_,' the wicked voice inside her head cheered, '_guess I was wrong then._'

'_I won't drink it_,' her logical voice spoke weakly.

"Shut up, both of you, I'll go insane if you insist on keeping this up," Hermione spoke out loud as she reached for the bottle.

For a while she just studied the amber liquor, swirling it around in its bottle. Someone had already opened the bottle and Hermione thought about the comical expression that would be pasted upon the person whom just had been robbed of his or her whiskey.

"Cheers," she spoke to no one in particular.

_Fate – monstrous  
and empty,  
you whirling wheel,  
you are malevolent,  
well-being is vain  
and always fades to nothing,  
shadowed  
and veiled  
you plague me too;   
now through the game_

_I bring my bare back  
to your villainy._

One hour later, Hermione found herself helplessly giggling as she, with a passion, tore her Ministry letter to pieces and then burned the rubbish with one simple word:

"_Incendio,_"

The paper caught fire and Hermione watched it burn with an enormous fashion, and couldn't keep herself from giggling again. She was snatched out of her little amount of fun as she heard a soft knock on her door and then Ron's voice which spoke:

"H-H-Hermione, are you there? Harry told me you didn't want visitors, but please open the door."

"Just a minute," she called but fell over because her legs felt like jelly, "Whoops (giggle) I think I just fell (giggle) I don't think I can get up."

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron called through the door.

"Mmm," Hermione hummed and collected her wand, the bottle of fire whiskey and her Latin poetry collection.

"If you'd like, I could come back later…" Ron offered.

"Right you are," Hermione called and began walking towards her secret passage, "Friends."

The old wizard studied her with concern in his eyes. It was something Hermione didn't notice as she stumbled around in the darkness, keeping herself from falling with a little amount of help from one of the cold stonewalls.

"It's too bad, but hey, that's me. What goes around comes around, you'll see. That I can carry the burden of pain. Cause it ain't the first time that a man goes insane, and when I spread my wings to embrace him for life. I'm suckin' out his love, I, I'll never be nobody's wife!" She sang happily as she made her way through the darkness. Anouks song seemed right to sing, especially the last sentence 'I'll never be nobody's wife'.

She reached the end of her "emergency exit" and found herself in almost complete darkness. She muttered as she reached for her wand and spoke:

"L-l-l-lushmus! Damn it! L-l-lush… LUMOS!"

The tip of her wand started glowing as a direct result of her, on the third attempt, correctly spoken charm. She began walking and after a while she was in the corridor, she stood there for a while and wondered if she should take a midnight-stroll to Hogsmeade or if she should keep herself inside the castle.

'_I probably won't get the password to that god damned dragon right anyway,_' she thought and began walking through old corridor, curiously wondering where it would lead her.

'_Slytherin area,_' her little and slurring, logical voice told her.

She took a sip directly from her bottle and made a face, she didn't like the taste but still, the fuzz around her was comfortable and those clouds that floated around her were funny looking. Somehow her problems drifted far away in some deserted part of her mind.

'_Oh looky, what a strange painting. What is such a wonderful piece of art doing down here_?'

She stared at the very detailed picture; it depicted an old wizard with green, and probably, expensive clothes. His eyes were almost black as the tunnel, his hair neatly tied back in a black ribbon. He had a snake wrapped around his right hand, as if the snake was friendly.

"Good afternoon, Mr," she cheered and made a toasting gesture as she took another sip.

"Stay out of my way, you filthy mudblood," snarled the painting.

"That's not a nice way to tell me 'good day'," Hermione answered sulkily, "And how did you know I was a muggle born?"

"I don't want to talk with you, mudblood," the painting sneered, "But if you must know, I guessed that because no proper wizard would get drunk on a Thursday evening."

"I'm not 'drunk'," Hermione protested, "Just a bit tipsy and I know many wizards whom would get drunk on a Thursday."

"I said '_a proper wizard'_, a wizard whom won't mix with mudbloods."

"Name a proper wizard," Hermione demanded, clearly outraged.

"Well, the noble Blacks, Crabbe, Dolohov, Lestrange, the-"

"Don't give me that bullshit. They're all Death Eaters. They're not proper."

"Quiet, mudblood, whilst better people are speaking," the painting roared, "You want a proper name? Well I can give you the Macnairs, Nott, and the Malfoys."

"The Malfoys?" Hermione doubled over laughing, almost threatening to spill her liquor, "Well, then you'll have to think of me as 'proper' because tomorrow night I'll be a Malfoy."

"Outrageous," the man in the picture gasped, "Who are you going to marry? Who in that old and noble family line would sink so low? I bet he's been disowned."

"I'll marry the head of the family; I don't think anyone will be able to disown him," Hermione laughed and took another sip, "He's quite famous, maybe you've heard of him. His name's Lucius."

"Lucius Malfoy?" The painting almost fainted from the shock, "Of course I know him, I'm the guardian to the noble Severus Snape and sometimes he'll tell me about his friends."

"So Snape's living in here?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yes," the painting answered icily.

Hermione didn't know what had gotten in to her, but all of a sudden she felt a strange desire to investigate the purebloods way of living. Maybe it was the liquor or maybe she'd always been curious about the mystery that was their potions professor, because suddenly she piped up:

"How will I pass you?"

"What? I'll never let a mudblood pass me," the portrait shrieked.

"But if I speak the right password you'll have to let me pass," Hermione pointed out.

"You don't have the password from what I can see."

"You'll never know," Hermione hummed.

She searched through her mind for something that could give her a clue about Snape's password, but everything was fuzzy and her memory betrayed her.

"Casus accido Gryffindor," She piped up and smiled brightly.

"Not anywhere near," the portrait snarled, "Go home you miserable, dirty mudblood."

"I'm a sadistic bastard," Hermione tried and looked hopeful.

"You'll only ridicule yourself further," the portrait mocked.

'_Idiotic painting,_' Hermione thought and almost fell down on the floor.

"_Sors immanis, et inanis,_" she mumbled, repeating the beginning of the second verse of 'O fortuna'.

"What!"

Hermione found, to her suprise, that the rude pureblood in the painting was hung upside down and that he reveiled a wooden door, apparently Snape was a bit paranoid.

"You'll never know," Hermione answered and smiled brightly. She thought about the irony that Snape read poetry, in Latin no less.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing down here and-" Hermione's heartbeat stopped as she heard Snape's silky voice, apparently Snape just realised that she'd succeeded to open his chambers. "What in the world are you doing? Ignorant Gryffindor fool."

'_My god, sweet Merlin, it's over, he'll kill me or even worse, get me expelled_,' her logical part of mind shrieked.

'_Pretend to be drunk. Act,_' she told herself.

'_I am drunk_,' she answered.

'_Even worse, pretend to be out of your mind_.'

'_Do something, I don't want to get expelled, I don't want a filthy reputation_.'

"My, my, my... you _are_ in deep trouble, Miss Granger, breaking into a professor's private chambers! I knew you were ignorant and stuck-up but this... oh, maybe you'd just handed me a delicious little _thing_ that'll bring a huge _spot_ in your otherwise clean record... I can see it now, and Minerva's face as I tell her."

'_Shit – do something – say something. NOW_!'

"Oh, hi, Professor," she greeted in a slurry voice, "I was just about to visit you. Do you think that you can open this door so we might go inside and talk for a minute?"

'_Good one, Hermione,'_ she cynically told herself.

"What are you...?" Snape's eyes threatened to bulge out from his eye-sockets, "Are you _DRUNK,_ Miss Granger?"

"Cheers to fire whiskey," Hermione giggled and put on her most innocent smile. As if to emphasise her point, she raised the fire whiskey bottle and took a deep sip.

"You have no idea but how much trouble you are in now," Snape threatened and came closer.

"In trouble?" Hermione put on a blank expression, "I'm in trouble?"

"Don't give me that. If I could, I would give you detention for a year. But as it is you're getting married tmorrow and leave for-"

'_This is it, try to gain his sympathy_.'

'_Sympathy? From SNAPE_?'

Hermione started crying, huge drops of salty water spilled from her cheeks, then she threw herself at Snape (despite the fact that she was inwardly mortified of her own behaviour) and clung on to him. She tried to ignore the scent of un-cleaned clothes, sweat and other, un-identified scents.

"Miss Granger, remove yourself from me this instant," Snape barked.

Hermione held her breath, suddenly everything was just too much. The suspense, everything. She recalled vomitting on Snape's black clothes and then...darkness.

_Fate is against me  
in health  
and virtue,   
driven on  
and weighted down,  
always enslaved._

_So at this hour  
without delay  
pluck the vibrating strings;   
since Fate  
strikes down the string man,  
everyone weep with me!_

_

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**Apollonia2**

Hm, yes, she knows about the virgins suit – but problem is, does she believe it? Take it seriously? –evil laugh- what fun would it be if she avoided using that wonderful dress?… on the other hand, is that dress the real one? –laughs- you'll just have to stick to this story to find out –twinkle- thanks for reviewing :)!

**Hotskittles:**

Thanks for reviewing my work:) yeah – I like un-original, that's the fun… -ahem- and one Lucius Malfoy just makes it… -uhm- even more fun!

**llGeekGoddessll:**

Mhm, very interesting story ;) and LH/HG is the best pairing in the fiction world, but without doubt one JK would be mortified.

**Nightwater:**

Yeah, I know, but that's fixed now thanks to my beta :)

**Tigermage:**

Wow! I'll take that as an compliment because god should know that with fic's like "Gray" in the fiction world its quite hard to become "great" THANKS!

**Morrigane:**

Oh! I'm so sorry! No Lucius in this chapter either :( but he'll show up in the next one… which would contain their wedding –dun, dun- … can't you try to translate it yourself? –pleads-

**Dark Secret1:**

mwahahaha- think I confused you just a tiny bit there… -hmms- nope, she'll not be drunk during the wedding night! What fun would that be?

**Fiction a-z:**

laughs- I'm writing, I'm writing:)

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx:**

You're soon there! They'll get married in the next chapter… patience! Yeah, the dress, I myself like the idea… but I'm not sure where it's taking me yet… :S

**Sexy-jess:**

Yeah – that's why he was so surprised in that chapter, surprised or pleased? I cannot tell, just yet. –laughs- Yes, Gin had sex with Harry and her describing it was quite funny to write!

**Storygirl2009:**

Hmm… as it looks for now I think you're right, probably a lot more chapters but I cant promise anything…

No totaly! I can't wait for the movie either, I live Jason Issaccs and the way he's portraying Lucius Malfoy… just as I imagined from the books… -sniffs- too bad JK put him in prison! Everyone complained and whined about Sirius death and I where completely destroyed by the fact that my favoriture blonde ended up in prison! –cries-

…

…

…

…

**Coming up:**

What's going on? The wedding is here! Yes! Finally… and we'll see Lucius again and Draco… and what's up with him by the way? -hinthint- see yah!


	14. Alea iacta est The die is cast

**Hi everyone!**

Well in this chapter you cerantly could say that "the die is cast" as Julius Caesar would have said: "Alea iacta est!" The wedding is here an I'm quite satisfied with it :)

Disclamior: They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 14:th time

Disclamior: The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Nightwish and is called "She is my sin" pay atention dear readers cause this time it actually have a clear link to my story.

And there's a speach further down in teh chapter - you'll notice while seeing it - it's a poem and it' not mine neither.

But otherways - ENJOY :)

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**Alea iacta est - The die is cast**

_Take heed, dear heart  
once apart, she can touch nor me nor you  
dressed as one  
a wolf will betray a lamb  
_

Hermione got up from bed, her head exploded in pure pain and agony. Almost everything in her sight faded to darkness and she had to lie back down again. Her hands fumbled along the side of her bed, hoping to find the switch to her night-lamp; problem was, she didn't find her lamp, she didn't find her bed-table or her own sheets, but an old blanket.

She opened her eyes slowly and felt pure horror as she was met by cold stonewalls which were adorned with green and silver banners, clearly a Slytherin room. To her horror she also recognized the bad smell which floated in the air; sweat, un-cleaned clothes, rotted potions ingredients and other horrible scents that shouldn't even be mentioned.

"Had a good night's sleep, Miss Granger?" A silky voice purred from above.

Hermione gulped and gazed upwards. All clad in black and with snarling features, her potions professor was in sight. His eyes glittered unpleasantly and his yellow teeth were bared when his lips withdrew themselves from a prior position, thus making him look like an animal prepared for attack.

'_Pretend that you don't remember_!'

'_Exactly, I don't remember a single thing from yesterday_!'

'_Umm… what happened yesterday_?'

"What do you mean professor? What am I doing here? Why does my head hurt?" She put on a dramatic face and stared confusingly at the surroundings.

"You don't happen to remember this?" Snape handed her a book in a reddish-brown dust jacket, Hermione recognized her own poetry-book immediately.

"That's my _Latin_ poetry collection, sir," she confirmed and tried to meet his intense stare, while doing that she felt like she was being emptied of her feelings. She lowered her gaze at once, remembering Snape's skills in Occlumency.

"Why is this wonderful piece of written art down here?" Snape gave her an icy stare and Hermione tried to remember but couldn't honestly recollect many facts from yesterday evening. The last thing she remembered was Ron knocking at her door and then some fragments of a rude painting guarding Snape's chambers…

"Umm… professor, if you don't mind me asking… but, uh, this place, is it your private chambers?"

"Yes it is you imbecile," Snape bellowed, Hermione flinched and stared at him, he looked murderous. From his mouth a huge amount of saliva was thrown, Hermione flinched even more, "and I can't understand your sick obsession with my _private_ chambers, Miss Granger."

"S-s-sick obsession, s-s-sir?" she stammered, "What _happened_ professor?"

"So you don't remember?" Snape's black, burning eyes became most uncomfortable as he lent forward and by pure mental force made her look into those black tunnels again.

Then he withdrew himself, staring her down for a moment and then he thrust a glass bottle in her hand. Hermione recognized it as a fire whiskey-bottle, a half empty fire whiskey-bottle. She did remember it, she remembered _Accio_-ing it, but what had happened afterwards she didn't remember.

"I… I remember this one though," she confessed, "I Accio-ed it."

"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for bringing and using alcohol inside school," Snape's lips moved almost mechanically, as if what he just said came by pure force of habit.

"Yes, sir… may I go now? I'm in need of sleep… you know for tomorrow… and tomorrow's events," Hermione rubbed her eyes gently. Truth be told, she was in an absolute need of a hangover potion and then a dreamless sleep potion and then at last a restful night. Alone.

"You may go, and take these with you." He handed her two bottles, containing a hangover potion and a dreamless sleep potion.

She nodded and stared into his depths once again, she knew that she'd done something that he was absolutely furious with, but for some strange reason he didn't punish her for it. She got up and swayed over to a massive door which led out to a corridor she thought she remembered. When she stood in the portrait hole she suddenly remembered something, a picture of Snape. His chest was covered in vomit, he held an unconscious head girl in his arms and he looked totally surprised.

'_Oh my god! Hell, shit, shit, shit. How embarrassing! But why didn't he...? Why didn't he deduct house-points for that? Or even worse… he could have got me expelled… why didn't he?' _

The portrait that hid Snape's chambers slammed shut, Hermione stood face to face with that rude pureblood again; he was still snarling in her direction. She stuck her tongue out and made a face, he stared back at her in horror.

"Who are you?" she asked in an almost childish voice.

"I am Salazar Slytherin," he answered and gave her a very nasty look.

"Have a nice evening, Mister Slytherin," she cheered and chuckled to herself as she saw his face turn deadly pale, because it wasn't very often a person spoke so slackly and insolent with him, let alone a Muggle born.

When she got to her bedroom she had a quick shower, making sure that everything left from Snape's smelly dungeon was washed away. Then she had a hasty glance at her clock-radio, it showed 03:00 with distinct, red and annoying numbers; only fifteen hours until the wedding ceremony would take place. In one gulp she'd finished her hangover potion and then her dreamless sleep-potion; tiredly she crept into her nightgown and then tugged herself into bed. It would be her last night in her own comfortable, _red_, very Gryffindor bed. After putting out the lights she drifted off to sleep, a sleep without nightmares, sorrows or anger.

_Lead astray the gazers  
the razors on your seducing skin  
in the meadow of sinful thoughts  
every flower's a perfect one_

_To paradise with pleasure haunted,  
Haunted by fear  
_

"Heeeeermiooooneee….,"

Hermione growled and turned to her other side, ignoring the annoying voice that spoke her name. Her mouth was dry and she was sure about that it stank of whiskey, sleep and un-brushed teeth. She licked her lips and squinted with one eye; she was facing her wall, a red and golden wall. To her surprise it was full daylight outside. Normally it wasn't such a bad thing to awake this time, especially if she were free, but today, _today_, she wasn't at all pleased with the fact that it was lunchtime or even worse…. _past_ lunch.

"Ooo, Hermioooooneee."

"Go away…," she growled in her pillow.

"Hermione…," someone tugged at her sheets.

"I don't want to get up just yet."

"Hermione," someone threw off her sheets, Hermione shrieked in protest and curled into a ball with her knees up against her chin.

"What do you want, Ginny?"

"Are you always this rude in the mornings, oh please forgive me, _afternoon_?" Ginny's voice asked jokingly, "I'll bet a hundred that it's Mr. Malfoy I really should feel sorry for."

"I got drunk last night," Hermione mumbled as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Ginny's eyes went wide; she stared at Hermione as if her friend had gone mad. Then she began laughing, she flopped down on Hermione's bed and patted her friend's head in a motherly gesture.

"Aw… poor fellow, having a bit of a hangover now then I presume?"

"No, Snape gave me a hangover potion last night."

"SNAPE gave you a _hangover potion_? Hermione what did you do after I and Harry left? Ron told me he came to your room two times, first you answered but sounded as if you were in a state and when he came back you weren't there."

"I… erm…" Hermione's face reddened as she began studying her hands, "Well I kind of got drunk, okay? Really drunk… and then I felt like taking a midnight stroll… after that there's a big gap where I don't remember a thing. Well almost, I had a strange image in my mind when I left Snape's private chambers-"

"His _private chambers!_ Hermione, really."

"Yes…" Hermione's face became as red as Ginny's hair, "Well I think I tried to get into his chambers for some strange reason, armed with a bottle of fire-whiskey and a Latin poetry collection. I think he caught me doing the 'get into' part and I umm… you see, I was very drunk so I kind of puked on his clothes…"

"Wait a minute, how did you succeed with that, puke on his clothes I mean… oh _no_, Hermione, you _didn't_… did you?"

"Well I think I kind of hugged him or…umm…rather clung onto him and well…"

"And then you two entered his chambers? I don't want to know more now, Hermione, you're making nasty images of you and Snape run through my head."

"No, I fainted afterwards… and then I woke up on his sofa with a blanket over me. He deducted points from Gryffindor because I was drunk and then handed me a hangover-potion and a dreamless sleep-potion."

"_EWWW_! Who knows what he could have been doing while you were sleeping."

"Stop that. I don't want those kind of images running through my head, thank you."

"Speaking of which, the clock says 15:38 so you'd better get ready beca-"

"Its 15:38!" Hermione got up from the bed in one, unbelievable movement, "Oh my, oh my, I'm dead; soon I'll be dead…HELP me, Ginny, I don't want to get married."

Hermione was close to a nervous breakdown; she jumped up and down, wriggled her hands and cried. Ginny watched her for a moment before she embraced her; together they sat back down on Hermione's bed again. Ginny hushed her and mumbled gently in her ear until the older girl had calmed down a bit.

"Don't give in, Hermione, please don't… it hurts to see you like this," Ginny kissed the top of Hermione's head, something she had picked up from her mother.

"I'm so afraid, Ginny. I'm so afraid," the brown-haired girl whispered into the redhead's chest, like a child seeking comfort.

"I know… and it's easy for me to say that you'll have to be strong and show him," Ginny sighed and patted Hermione's back, "He'll probably use you, maybe abuse you and never love you but you'll have to fight fire with fire. He won't have the time of his life. Think about what power you'll have as his wife. Think about all his house-elves that you now can free….legally. Or even better; pay them."

"I love you, Ginny. You and Harry and… and Ron..."

"Don't cry, Hermione. Ron will wait for you and Lucius can't live forever. He's older then you and Ron… maybe he'll be gone only after a few years."

"Maybe…" Hermione sighed and snuffled, "Oh look at your jumper; it's all wet."

"Oh never mind, you can keep wetting it until you feel satisfied; even blow your nose in it if you must."

Hermione couldn't help herself, she began laughing and after a while Ginny joined her. They sat on Hermione's bed and giggled, laughed and sniggered for a while. Finally when the laughter had silenced into nothing Ginny spoke.

"No, this will never do. Come on, we'll put you in the shower, serve you some breakfast….err lunch and then we'll put on your dress, braid you hair and put on some make-up…"

"I don't want make-up, Ginny," Hermione protested in a way which told her friend that there was no way to persuade her further in the question.

"As you wish… but some braids?"

"If it'll make you happy," Hermione sighed, "And hey, I know what, we can take a bath together…and you can dress up as well because you're coming to the wedding."

"We'll come, all of us… the wedding will be held here in Hogwarts, Dumbledore will perform the ceremony… he told me this morning."

"Thank god," Hermione breathed, "Well, will you accompany me in the bath?"

"You bet I will."

Hermione and Ginny ran over to Hermione's bathroom and filled her bathtub with hot water, bath-salt and oils with sweet scents of honey, roses and milk. Ginny washed Hermione's hair and Hermione did Ginny the same favour. When they finally got out of the tub, the clock angrily beeped, meaning that it was time for lunch.

Despite the fact that Hermione hadn't eaten for hours (she hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday, to be precise) she wasn't hungry. Ginny offered her eggs, bacon, pies, rice pudding but Hermione only ate a bowl of honey yoghurt and a huge cup of citrus tea, which only made her think of Lucius, and that didn't improve the painful feeling which crept into the pit of her stomach.

"You'll have to eat, Hermione. You can't go on starving yourself like that," Ginny protested, the red head, who was clearly were related to her brother, had eaten eggs, bacon and rice pudding with a good appetite.

"If I eat more than this I'll be sick," the brown-eyed girl answered calmly and rose from the floor on which they'd been having their little lunch-picnic.

"Do you want to get dressed now?" Ginny rose too and their lunch disappeared.

"Yes," Hermione answered weakly and nodded.

"You'll have to put on that dress all by yourself, I won't touch it."

Once again Hermione nodded, she strode towards her wardrobe and picked up her dress with shaking hands. The fabric felt chilly under her trembling hands, without thinking she put it on, feeling its softness and the way it floated around her.

"Here," Ginny had advanced upon her from behind, handing her a package.

"What's this?"

"It's from Ron. Harry and I… I thought, you had no shoes and it'll be a bit cold to walk barefoot inside the castle."

Hermione opened the package and found a pair of neat sandals inside. They were made of the finest dragon skin; white dragon skin, which was very rare. On the front and on the clasps Hermione saw glittering gems that looked _very_ suspicious, Hermione hoped they weren't diamonds because then she would feel embarrassed.

"It's too much," Hermione almost swept Ginny into a bear-hug, but she stopped herself in the motion, realising that it would be _very_ painful for Ginny to come in contact with her whilst in her dress.

"Would you like me to braid your hair? I've got your garland of flowers too," Ginny handed Hermione a beautiful garland which contained oak leaves and white lilies.

Hermione smiled in her direction as she put on her sandals, when she was done with her shoes she sat down on a chair and Ginny started braid her hair, making a complicated sort of hairdo which Hermione didn't know of. Her hair was maid to look like a crown and then fell down in a rich braid. When she was done the redhead placed the freshly green and pure white garland on Hermione's head. Then Hermione's best friend amongst the girls got mirror and showed her the result. Hermione solemnly watched her reflection; she really looked like a witch on her way to the stake.

"You are the most beautiful bride ever… so pure," Ginny almost patted her shoulder but stopped herself in the motion; instead she caressed Hermione's cheeks.

"I'm not, you'll be the most beautiful bride," Hermione protested, "and now you'll be the best maid of honour in the world also."

"Flattering dolt," Ginny said jokingly and placed a shopping-bag on Hermione's table, "Harry bought this dress… I couldn't afford it."

Ginny's dress was mint-green and white, showing off the great colour of her wavy, copper-red hair which shone like gold in the setting sun. The white in her dress gave her milk white skin such a soft background that it almost appeared to shine, her freckles looked adorable on her flushed cheeks. Her dress also showed off her curves, something that sadly indicated that she would inherit Molly's body later on in life, after some children maybe. But today Ginny just looked plain beautiful, and if she kept on exercising she wouldn't necessary be a copy of her mother.

"You're beautiful," Hermione squealed.

"You're beautiful," Ginny handed back and smiled sweetly, "Just one thing is missing."

"What?"

Ginny dug deep inside her shopping-bag and found a little crystal bottle in the shape of an apple, she screwed the lid and then sprayed the purple fluid on Hermione's hair, her arms and her chest. It was perfume; its scent was so adorable that Hermione almost fainted. It was the scent of strawberries, woods, grass, lilies…summer.

"Where did you get this?" Hermione asked Ginny who sprayed a little on her own hair.

"It's from my mum, a wedding perfume. It's been wandering around in our family for as long anyone can remember… it'll grant you a happy future the holder says."

"Oh, lucky me," Hermione muttered as thought about the irony.

"Oh my gosh, look, your clock-what-ever-you-call-it shows 16:50. It's time."

"Oh no, if they want me downstairs they'll have to drag me," Hermione told her friend stubbornly.

As if what she recently said was an order her door flew open with a huge bang, at the entrance Harry and Ron were visible dressed up in their finest robes. Ron was still pale, unstable and he still coughed irritatingly but some of his colour had returned to his face. He had also filled out due to never ending meals.

"You're beautiful," Harry told Hermione, he kissed her hand and gave her a sad smile.

"Ahem," hawked Ginny jokingly and Harry gave her an admiring glance.

"And you are the most adorable woman on this earth," Harry told his fiancée and kissed her fiercely.

Ron stood numbly and waited in the doorframe, he had paled at the sight of Hermione, and she returned him a gaze full of longing. Harry caught it and whispered something in Ginny's ear, she nodded in return and the happy young couple silently left the room. Ron swallowed and then made his way to a trembling Hermione. He kissed her hand gently and spoke.

"You are so beautiful that I can find no words… I'd kill for you."

"It's not worth it, Ron," she retorted and caressed his cheek, "But Lucius won't live forever."

"So it's 'Lucius' now, eh?" Ron's voice caught an edge of bitterness, he seemed to regret what he'd said because he kissed her hand once again, "I'll wait for you, Hermione… my love knows no bounds."

Hermione's eyes watered and she couldn't help but kiss Ron feverishly on the lips, he answered with such a passion that she almost became frightened, but he let go and eyed her with sadness in his eyes. With a heavy voice which dripped of sorrow he spoke.

"I'll mess up your hair. (Sniff) You look so beautiful. (Sniff) If you were mine I would love and honour you every single moment," his voice died on his lips.

"You're just making it harder… love," Hermione whispered caressingly.

"I'll keep myself in the background," Ron told her, "and I won't say goodbye when the wedding's over because I couldn't stand it… I… I'll tell you goodbye now… love." He leant forward and kissed her forehead and then he exited her chambers, leaving her alone in her room.

_  
A sin for him  
Desire within, Desire within  
A burning veil  
for the bride too dear for him  
_

_A sin for him  
Desire within, Desire within  
fall in love with your deep dark sin  
_

She stood in the darkness, quietly watching the wedding tow as it paraded into the great hall, she would enter as the last person, walking quietly and gracefully towards the altar behind a purple sleeved Albus Dumbledore who stood with a depressed expression playing in his face. Before him a black clothed Lucius Malfoy was kneeling in the usual wizard-ceremony position. Beside him Draco should have stood, serving as best-man, but Hermione couldn't find ferret-face anywhere, that was, until she heard his arrogant drawl behind her.

"Dear me, you are rather stunning this way, Granger… so innocent… tell me, are you still a virgin?"

"What are you doing here ferret face, shouldn't you kneel beside your father?"

"So you _are_ still a virgin. What a delight, my father will be thrilled… too bad I couldn't be the one to take that special thing from you, _mother_."

"Fuck you, Malfoy," she snarled.

"If you insist, we still have about five minutes until you'll have to enter the ceremony. If you wish we could find a nice closet and… play for a while?"

"In your dreams, ferret-face. Get out of my way or tell me what you came here to tell me or I'll hex you into the next month."

Draco licked his lips and winked in her direction, his eyes glittered lustfully and Hermione had no doubt about that if she'd said yes on his earlier proposal he would have preformed it willingly. It was as if he'd caught an interest in her just because of the fact that she would marry his father… some sick, perverse, secret fantasy he had maybe.

"If you have to know, mudblood, I'm here to deliver the ring you'll give my father," Draco gave Hermione a flat, golden ring without any inscriptions or gems; very un-Malfoyish.

"If that is all I'd like to see you gone because I need these last moments of my freedom for myself."

"At least give me the chance to give you my wedding-gift," Draco told her defensibly and smirked as he showed her a simple, golden chain with a pedant portraying a little golden heart which, with some spells, glowed red.

"I won't wear anything you give to me," she hissed and threw him a dirty look.

"Oh I think you will," Draco came closer, making her back up against a wall, something she didn't like very much. She didn't fear Draco as she feared his father, after all, Draco was just a bully and most of his threats were empty, "I think you will, speaking of which, where are your parents these days?"

"That was the most laughable threat I've ever heard, Sounds like you picked it from a bad movie," she spat back, "Besides you don't know where they live."

"So I don't? What about 134-137 Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W8 6JE? Hm, sounds familiar, don't you think?"

"You wouldn't dare…if you hurt them…"

"Just put on the necklace, _Hermione_, and you'll save me a lot of work, because mark my words, I'm a man true to my word… when I choose to be."

Hermione snatched the golden necklace from his hands and put it on, not even giving him a second glance. She missed the satisfied smirk which played on Malfoy junior's face as he walked into the great hall and took his place beside his father in a kneeling position in front of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hermione," Ginny came running towards her and gripped Hermione's arm, "it's our turn now."

Hermione drew a deep breath and then they began the long walk towards the altar, before them flowers were thrown and hymns rang in their ears. Hermione swallowed and licked her dry lips, the end came too quickly, all of a sudden she kneeled with Lucius on her right side and Ginny on her left side, before them Dumbledore opened an old book.

_  
I am the Fallen  
you are what my sins enclose  
Lust is not as creative  
as its discovery_

_to paradise with pleasure haunted,  
Haunted by fear  
_

"We have gathered here today to witness the union of Hermione Jane Granger and Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy… I, Albus Dumbledore, will perform this ceremony in the great Merlin's name…"

The old wizard made a theatrical pause, eying the couple up before he continued:

"This institution,  
Perhaps one should say enterprise  
Out of respect for which  
One says one need not change one's mind  
About a thing one has believed in,  
Requiring public promises  
Of one's intention  
To fulfil a private obligation:

I wonder what Merlin and the old gods  
Think of it by this time,  
This fire-gilt steel  
Alive with goldenness;  
How bright it shows -  
'Of circular traditions and impostures,  
Committing many spoils,'  
Requiring all one's criminal ingenuity  
To avoid!  
Psychology which explains everything  
Explains nothing,  
And we are still in doubt…"

Dumbledore made another pause, looking directly at Lucius with a gaze that could have killed, but Lucius faced him arrogantly and with a sneer upon his face, clearly he didn't enjoy the kneeling position, in particular not in front of Albus Dumbledore.

"And therefore I ask you Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, have you no doubts? Are you free from you inner demons of doubt and regret? Will you, Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, take this Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife, to _Love, CARE, **RESPECT **_and **_SUPPORT_** for in the rest of your life?"

"I, Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, take this Hermione Jane Granger to be my lawfully wedded wife," Lucius retorted, leaving out the part of doubts, love and other feelings from his announcement.

"Have you… Hermione Jane Granger," Dumbledore's voice was much gentler now, "Have you no doubts? Are you free from you inner demons of doubt and regret? Will you, Hermione Jane Granger, take this Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, care, respect and support for in the rest of your life?"

"I do," Hermione pressed forward through clenched teeth and threatening tears.

"The rings," Albus' voice whispered and both Ginny and Draco handed their rings to Hermione and Lucius.

With trembling hands Hermione placed Lucius golden ring on his finger, in return he gave her a similar ring with only one glittering diamond in the centre. He roughly grabbed both of her hands and then they rose in union from their kneeling position, Dumbledore sighed and spoke in a defeated tone.

"I pronounce you husband and wife." He left out '_you may kiss the bride_' part and Hermione sighed with relief, something she shouldn't have done she realised.

Lucius eyes blasted with anger because of the left-out-detail. Without invitation he grabbed his young wife's face and kissed her roughly. She could taste him in her mouth, mint and citrus, always the proper mixture which made him exotic in a way and disgusting in another.

"You and I," he mumbled against her lips, "should retreat to our _home_ and a well deserved… solitude… _Aparishun!_"

Everything faded away, the music, the lights…everything. A bumpy ride in Lucius' arms began and she closed her eyes, praying for a happy ending.

_  
A sin for him..._

_Bless me, undress me  
Pick your prey in a wicked way  
God I must confess... I do envy the sinners_

_

* * *

_

You know what's next don't you? -evil laugh- _  
_


	15. Courage is fear that had said its prayer...

**Alright!**  
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...  
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I know some have been waiting, some not - but here it is - THE WEDDING NIGHT!

And this chapter are **Defiantly a rating R** or M or what they call it these days so bee warned - I don't want to get any flames because there WILL be sex in this chapter!

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Otherwise Id like to thank my beta, she's just the best. Id like to thank my reviewers and I'm sorry I am to lazy to give you feed-back on your wonderfull reviews - maybe later on.

**Disclamior: **They are **NOT** mine!

**Disclamior:** The lyric is not mine, it belongs to Nightwish and is called "Passion and the Opera"

**ENJOY!

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**

**Courage is fear that has said its prayers**

_Princess of lust  
dignity put to dust  
a virginal sight  
their apple to bite  
_

The absurd thing about it was the search for distraction; she was _searching_ for distraction, something that could shut out the present, something, anything. She wanted to find it deep within, a lost thought; something powerful, a memory long forgotten. Sadly enough she couldn't find it, the only thing she could find was the memory of that day when her budgerigar, Tommie, had fallen down their toilet and almost drowned.

Someone took her hand, holding it tightly, but not painful as she expected. The person led her through a dark corridor; only lit up by a couple of spotlights. Under her feet a red carpet led the way, she heard the reduced sound of shoes against fabric, and she could smell tension in the air. The person before her stopped in front of a wooden door with iron mountings and a strong lock. He, the person clad in black with silvery blond hair, un-locked the door with a spell and then opened the door carefully. For her it felt like ages before he let her enter the chamber, as if he actually were embarrassed, something she found highly unlikely.

If she hadn't been so listless she surely wouldn't have noticed the beauty of the room. If she had been convinced that she could escape, then she wouldn't have stopped in the doorframe, watching the surroundings with admiration. She would have kicked, cursed and fought him, the man who now was her husband, but she had no intention of fighting him, that would only hurt her and give him more pleasure.

But as it was she now stood there and watched, yes, even admired his - no, _their_ bedchamber. The walls, which she had expected to be emerald green and adorned with silver serpents, were blue. The wallpaper was, of course, old-fashioned, exactly that kind of wallpaper which you would find in a castle from the 18th century. Ahead of her she saw a pair of enormous balcony-doors flanked by a pair of just as enormous windows. The draperies were heavy and deep blue, they were for the moment tied together on each side of the windows. Through the marvellous glass she could see a wonderful forest and huge grassy domains.

In one corner a huge fire was roaring inside an old-fashioned fireplace, in front of that fireplace she sighted a blue and green carpet, surely a very expensive Turkish carpet if she hadn't misjudged the Malfoy family completely. A few feet away from the fire she spotted two deep blue armchairs with very expensive-looking armchair-legs, in between those two antique looking piece of furniture a little brown mahogany table was placed; on that table one could catch a glimpse of an old book. At the other end of Lucius bedroom Hermione spotted another door and two enormous bookcases filled with old books, rolls of paper and other objects that could prove useful in search for knowledge.

On the walls she sighted portraits, two of the painted men she didn't know of, but surely they had to be family. One painting couldn't have been anything but Lucius, Narcissa and a newborn Draco. But there were two smaller portraits that caught Hermione's interest; they portrayed a young schoolboy, surely eleven or twelve years old. He wore an old Hogwarts' uniform with Slytherin's green colours and emblem. The other portrait portrayed a young man, _very_ similar to Draco, but he wore his long, pale hair neatly tied up in a black ribbon. Those two portraits were without a doubt Lucius' portraits.

The central item in Lucius' bedchamber was (without surprise) the large, if not, enormous, four-poster bed. Built solely in mahogany and decorated with silver here and there, the draperies were in the same colours as those that hung beside the windows. Lucius' sheets were made entirely of the finest silk and the dark blue almost seemed black. Hermione closed her eyes for a while, inhaling the scent of mint and citrus, warmth, fresh and aired bedclothes.

_Drink from my thighs  
The rain of lies  
A sight so cursed:  
Breasts which never nursed  
_

He was watching her take in the surroundings. She seemed calm now, or maybe hope had abandoned her totally. In the light of the roaring fire it seemed as if her hair was brought to life, it danced; sparkled in red, gold, mahogany and ebony. Her pale skin caught a golden tone, her white dress also caught the fire's golden flames; her eyes, as they watched the room carefully, stormed with feelings, they shifted from dark, passionate chocolate to light, mild milk-chocolate. In that chocolate storm he sometimes found a golden sparkle which lightened her whole soul.

'_Dear me, isn't she beautiful_?'

From his inner eye he could see the buck-toothed, annoying, bushy-haired, know-it-all, Gryffindor, Mudblood girl whom had entered his life in Draco's second year, in Flourish & Blotts. For the first time in life he actually could appreciate a woman's features without looking for large breasts, fine, round hips…swollen, red lips and, by make-up, destroyed eye-lashes. Because that was what Hermione was, he realised, she was herself and it worked, right now it worked.

He stood there lost in thought, what would he do now? Satisfy his own hunger and carving for her flesh? Make her beg for more? Make her please him? Take what he wanted by force? Lure her to fight him? Would he perhaps please her and in that way leave her wanting more? He knew she was innocent, a virgin even. The fact that she could wear the virgin's suit told him that, otherwise she wouldn't be able to, that is if the legend was correct and she had the original piece of clothing.

He sighed, he had forced, making them beg him for more, humiliated them. He had raped virgins before, not even caring about what happened to them afterwards. One part of him sickeningly enjoyed rape, he _enjoyed_ power, and he _enjoyed_ fear.

'_But,_' he thought and studied his young wife, '_I can do all that at once, I can be gentle and still have her fearing me, maybe she'll be even more afraid if I'm gentle_.'

'_If you want her again you can't rape her, you can't rape your wife,_' a part of him spoke up.

'_And I know it and therefore I won't do such a thing, I've left that period of my life behind… together with my black cape and my mask_.'

He slowly reached out to touch her, a careful caress on her bare neck reminded her of his presence, in her eyes he could see fear, and he inhaled that sight, slowly a smile crept over his face.

_  
An Aphrodite for mortal souls  
Playing hide and seek in lecherous roles  
their erotic hour, my tearless weep  
their satisfaction, my infinite sleep  
_

She felt his index finger trailing down her neck, stopping one or two millimetres from the dress' collar. She shivered but couldn't help turning around and facing him, she shuddered with fear as she saw a smile creeping over his lips, reaching upwards to his grey-blue eyes.

He removed his finger from her, letting his arm fall and then just watched her. She stared back, taking the opportunity to study him closely. It would be wrong to call him beautiful, but he was definitely handsome. She didn't know how old he was, but only judging from his appearance one could think he was only in his late thirties. But some wrinkles along his cheeks and around his eyes spoke of even more time gone since his birth.

In the golden light that emerged from the fireplace his hair almost seemed honey-coloured, even though Hermione clearly remembered that it previously had been silvery blond. His skin was so smooth, almost in loss of beard growth. He was pale, just as pale as a Chinese porcelain-figurine would have been; an ice statue. His eyes held arrogance, his whole being radiated superiority and his willpower shone around him. Inside his eyes a winter wind made shining diamonds of frost visible, tonight there was no storm in sight inside those orbs, a calm winter wind and a sparkle of un-describable lust were the only things she could see in his depths.

He scared her, she could feel her legs shaking, and she could feel her heart racing, her blood pumped in her veins bringing adrenaline to her system. For a long time he just studied her, not even implying that he would hurt her, which, if anything, scared her. She didn't know what she had expected, somehow she had believed that he _would_ rape her, that encounter in her chambers, in his living room alone spoke for that.

"I can see that you are afraid," his voice floated through the air, making her shiver even more, "I know, they always are… are you afraid that it might hurt?"

"I-I-I-I'm not… I'm not s-s-sure," she finally managed.

"They never are," he caressed her cheek and passed her, making his way to one of the huge windows, making appearance of looking out over his domains, "Tell me, is that the virgin's suit you bought in my name, with my money?"

"Y-y-yes," she stuttered, fearing that he might get angry because of that.

"It surely fits you, innocent indeed," he turned around and faced her, "Tell me, do you think its real?"

"No," she spoke almost in a normal tone, "No, I think it's just rubbish."

"Did it happen to, ah, _burn_ anyone?"

"No… or, I mean, yes, it did burn Ginny but-"

"Interesting," he purred and came back to her, circling her as a shark would circle a seal, "but it didn't burn you? My dear Hermione, are you still a virgin?"

"Yes, I am," she confirmed and by some wonder she succeeded to keep her voice under control.

"So rare… so extraordinary… I must confess that I, ah, very much appreciate that sacrifice." His circles became smaller; he could almost reach out to touch her now. "Would you like me to be gentle with you? I could be rather…..how to put it….I can be rather…..sweet, during the lovemaking. Some women, though, prefer violence… but seeing as it-"

"I'm not, unlike some, a pervert," she suddenly squeaked, too late in realising that what she'd just said could be taken for an insult.

"Unlike some?" His index finger trailed down her jaw-line, "Are you enjoying playing with fire, Hermione?"

She didn't answer, just stared numbly at her shoes somehow seeking comfort in them. She kept on thinking about her friends, she thought about how much she loved them… how much she loved Ron. How much she wished she could give her virginity to him, how much she wished he could be there, kissing her fears away, holding her tight.

"Thinking about that Weasley brat are you?" purred Lucius' voice close to her ear, "Do you really think that it would be greater with him?"

"Yes," she spat, not even caring about his reaction, it felt good to write that on his nose. She somehow had hoped that he would feel embarrassed, hurt or even angry but the only thing he did was laugh.

"He's a virgin too, if I'm not mistaken…" his voice faded away as he, in his circling, had come behind her back, "He'd be clumsy, he wouldn't know what to do, but to satisfy himself, his own needs, that's what he'd care about….that's nature. Of course he loves you, he would tell you sweet words as he's reaching climax and he would, without doubt hurt you while entering. He would be un-controlled, he would be done very soon, not leaving much time for you to reach climax, and without a doubt, he would apologise afterwards, promising to do it better next time. After that he would turn around and sleep the night through. Sounds romantic, doesn't it?"

"You are a pig and you don't know anything about Ron," she yelled.

"Oh, sweet denial," he hummed, now directly behind her, she could feel the heat radiating from his body, "No, you're correct; young Weasley could fully well be a miracle…and judging by that mother of his he'd surely have been well taught… had some… practical lessons perhaps?"

It took a while for Hermione to understand what Lucius had just implied, but when realisation hit her it came with full force. That man whom had raped numerous women had just implied that Molly Weasley had… that she and Ron and the whole… it was sick and Hermione felt anger rushing through her system. She spun around ready to raise her arm to strike Lucius, hitting him directly in his face; wipe that infernal smirk from his lips.

"Don't you dare talk like that about the Weasleys; they are the loveliest people on this earth." Her arm fell from mid-air; her intentions were to hurt him.

He caught her arm about ten centimetres from his face, holding it firmly. Not hurtful but tight enough to tell her that she had nothing to put up against him if he wished to strike back. He locked his eyes with hers for a while and then he began laughing, almost mirthful.

"Tut, tut, Hermione… if you really _are_ into that kind of lovemaking you'd better tell me so that I can be prepared."

"You are a sick… perverted, old, death-"

"Now, now, no flattery, that won't get you anywhere," He smiled now, a creepy smile, showing off a white line of perfect teeth, a dentist's smile, "As for me, I'm beginning to be a bit, how to put it….impatient… usually I just take what I want, leaving the trash where I found it, but consider that you'll have to last a bit longer…"

His index finger once again trailed down her neck, she stood petrified. With a gentle caress he parted her collar, exposing even more of that creamy skin. Hermione held her breath, waiting for the laughter-knife against her throat.

_Naked limbs reflecting from the moon  
I'll be there for you soon  
First wish for this night:  
Let me be your delight  
_

Lucius knew that the name-calling, the hatred, would only delay that for which he was craving; therefore he decided to start the act now. He didn't need more chitchatting now, right now he needed flesh. He needed hot, young skin against his, he _needed_ and when he _needed_ he usually got it.

Slowly, ever so slowly he started to undress her. She made no moves to fight him; it was as if she had suddenly given in. It was as if his touch made her paralysed. He knew that she thought that the virgin's suit was a bluff, humbug and crap. But he himself, being brought up in an old wizard family, had heard about the myths surrounding the golden wedding, but never really cared because back then he wouldn't have dreamt of marrying a Mudblood. But right now, as he became more thrilled, aroused and god damned turned on she became more… easy to handle. And that was where some clues about something not being right started.

As the dress' grip around her upper part loosened and revealed both of her shoulders, her chest and those lovely, milky white and almost childish breasts, he started to feel the consequences of so much naked skin before his eyes. To be more precisely; his trousers all of a sudden became too small. He spun her around, so to face her properly. Her eyes searched for his, they were in doubt, she was in doubt, clearly not knowing what to do… her dress had increased its old magic in her; both he and she could feel it moving from inside.

His hands reached up, fingers tracing through her hair, guiding her head to tilt back as he claimed her mouth with his, plunging his tongue within, ravaging her mouth as he firmly gripped her buttocks. She tasted so sweet, she intoxicated him with her scent, his nostrils vibrated as he inhaled the sweetness of lilies, strawberries, flowers, wood and grass.

With one free hand he smoothly freed her fully from her dress. When the pile of white fabric fell to the floor there was an explosion of ancient magic. It soared into their bodies, twirling around them, Lucius closed his eyes, and it felt odd, as if his mind was dazed. He looked directly into Hermione's eyes, they were lost into his, and he could almost see his own reflection in them. He supposed that she'd been hit with the largest dose because the power had been building up inside her through the dress and it had been unleashed when she was freed from her piece of clothing. He studied her now standing almost naked in front of him, save for a pair of white knickers. She was every bit as delicate as he'd been expecting, a bit too thin, not into athletics… she was… innocent.

"Would you like to do my undressing or will I have to do it myself?" He didn't know why he asked her about it; somehow it felt right to do that, the power swirled around them, making him feel a rush of power, adrenaline… sweetness.

She studied him for a while with a dim expression, and then she began, with trembling hands, un-buttoning his vest. He took hold of her hands and with his, steadier, he guided her through the labyrinth of buttons and zippers, until finally, he too was left only in his undergarments. Through his black silk-boxers one could clearly see the evidence which spoke about how much she affected him. Hermione stared, even though the powerful "golden-wedding" charm, which affected her too, limits not even speaking.

He bit gently on her neck, sucking it so that a mark would appear. Somehow when he saw the marks he'd made on a woman, or that she made on him, it always aroused him. He bit down harder, his hands kneading her breasts, his thumbs rubbing hard against her sensitive nipples, and she whimpered as his teeth dug into her. In one giant movement he had swept her into his arms and she didn't struggle, he carried her to his bed, dropping her gently on his cool sheets. She lay there, flat on her back, staring up at him. He saw fear in her eyes, but not just that, he also saw excitement, even though she wouldn't admit it even to herself.

He crawled on top, both of them still remained in their undergarments, but he intended to do something about that later on. His hands cupped her breasts and her breath was drawn sharply in, he reached a hand out to her shoulder, caressing down her body, to the outside of her breast and down to her knee, producing a shiver and causing gooseflesh to rise over her arms and legs. He spent several minutes simply stroking her like that, along her arms, legs, and belly. She was tense, he could feel it through her, through the air, through the spell which swirled around them filling the whole room, exploding, exploring… tempting, grasping.

"Relax…my dear," he breathed against her neck, tracing a wet line along the tender flesh, "I won't hurt you more than necessary."

She closed her eyes, finally a reaction through that mist of what he called pure magic of the nature. But he couldn't have it; he couldn't have her closing her eyes and in that way escape this moment. That would be wasted time.

"Don't close your eyes, Hermione…"

She opened her eyes again; they shone in the light from the fire, they seemed like glass from his perspective; he wondered how much she really felt right now. He lent forward and kissed her firmly, firmly but not demanding and this time she did answer him, her little tongue danced with his, he smiled against her lips, she was going down. He left her mouth and began kissing down her neck with grace which he gained through the years; he could actually hear how Hermione moaned for the first time. Encouraged by this he paused at her breasts for a few minutes and then trailed nips and kisses down her body until he reached the lining of her knickers.

"Time to remove these now, Hermione, my dear," he murmured against her skin. She shivered in response when he in one swift movement removed his and her undergarments, "Would you like me to make it pleasurable for you too, Hermione?"

Without invitation or answer he spread her legs a bit, thus giving him better access to what he was going to do now. She gasped in response as he touched her most sensitive spot, he felt how her body tensed and he quickened his movements. The air around them grew hot, he could feel it and it almost scared him because he had never felt anything like it; he could tell, only by being near her, when she would come. Suddenly she exploded, actually crying out loud.

"LUUUUUUUUUUCIUS!"

He stopped; she had actually cried his name. Somehow he had expected that she would cry that Weasley brat's name… then again, the power flow had increased. He himself could almost feel how his brain went dull.

'_I hope I don't faint, that would never do._'

"I think you enjoyed that. Tell me, would Weasley have been just as good?" He hummed and stroked her bare thighs.

She surprised him then, by taking his hands in hers, keeping him from touching her and then forcing him closer to her, she brought his face to hers and kissed him. Somehow this felt as the right moment to enter her. He positioned himself between her legs and whispered in her ear, nibbling gently on her earlobe.

"This will hurt," he warned and had a whimper in response; he drew a deep breath and plunged into her.

Hermione cried out as he tore through her, she felt the burning and the snap of tearing tissue as he filled her completely and continued to plunge into her.

_Body of a virgin  
Soul to the Devil's kin  
Your God is me  
In all that you see_

"Hermione," he growled as he reached climax, she could feel how he filled her with his seed.

In that moment there was like an explosion, Hermione felt how all that power, which they had built inside Lucius' chamber, literally exploded. Everything disappeared in a pink and spinning daze, she disappeared in a deep black emptiness. _  
_

_An Aphrodite for mortal souls  
Playing hide and seek in lecherous roles  
Their erotic hour, my tearless weep  
Their satisfaction, my infinite sleep_


	16. Confusion

**Hi everyone!**

This chapter is a bit lame, maybe boring – but it had to be done so I hope you'll forgive me, because something as touching as the last chapter won't be found in this.

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 16:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to In Flames and is called "Square Nothing"

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

But other ways - ENJOY :)

* * *

**  
**

**Confusion**

_For all the times you left me bleeding  
Clouded, weakened by the haze  
Cut of my pride, enough to forgive  
Reconcile, back to square nothing  
_

All of a sudden she was awake; everything came crashing down on her. She stared numbly at the ceiling as chaos approached inside her, she felt like screaming, screaming until everything was gone; gone into nothing, gone into history, gone into her imagination.

'_I did it, I did it, and I didn't even fight him… I let him…_'

She drew a deep, shaky breath. She could remember everything, every little detail; it played before her eyes just like a movie. But the strange thing was, it felt like a movie, just as if she hadn't been there, she hadn't been able to control herself….just done as she'd been told.

'_Oh my god, I didn't mean it to happen that way_.'

'_I need a shower_.'

'_You are behaving as if you've been raped._'

'_Well, it wasn't far from it_.'

She got up from Lucius' bed, he was asleep; she could hear his calm breathing emerging from the darkness on her right side. Her bare feet landed on the cold stone-floor, she shivered as the cold spread over her body. She fumbled along the bedside and grabbed a sheet; she wrapped it around her thin body. She stumbled around in the darkness, not quite sure what she was looking for. After a while she did find something though, a door handle. She opened the door in front of her, quietly stepping inside, she fumbled along the wall, felling the coldness of a tiled wall, a bathroom!

"_Lumos funditus,_" she whispered, hoping that her little amount of knowledge in wandless magic would be enough to light up the bathroom.

Slowly and with a slightly reduced light, two or three candles started glowing; she sighed, it had to do because she was sure that she couldn't master any more than that. When focus had returned she was, for the first time, able to see Lucius' bathroom.

It was breathtaking, simply breathtaking….beautiful. The ocean blue walls matched the deep blue clinker floor with an exact colour scheme, the roof was in the shape of a vault, chalk white and adorned with blue shining stones. Lowered into the floor was a huge, if not enormous bathtub, if Hermione didn't know better she would have called it a swimming pool. In one corner she spotted a shower with golden touches and water taps. Along the walls crept green climbing plants, sprung from their huge, white and blue pots. She found a toilet, huge enough to be called a throne and a washbasin which went in a baroque style; over that washbasin she found an enormous mirror.

She stepped inside the shower, not daring to fill the bathtub. Careful, and without making too much noise, she turned on the shower, feeling the delight as hot, streaming water came in contact with her trembling body. She sighed and began rubbing her tense shoulders, letting the hot stream relax the nervous knots in her soul.

She wasn't done until her body had turned red as a lobster and her skin was wrinkled as a raisin. When she finally stepped out of the shower she saw that the whole bathroom had been bathed in fog, due to her hot shower. She found a towel and dried her body and hair, after that she walked out from the bathroom, letting the light fade away into darkness. She made her way to the huge windows and withdrew the (by now) closed draperies, letting the gentle and wan daylight into Lucius' _and_ hers bedroom.

She heard his deep, gentle breathing from the bed, un-willingly her eyes started to look at him, her husband. He who had been a Death Eater, he who had murdered, raped, plagued and tortured numerous innocent people, he who in this strange light was… beautiful. His otherwise sneering features were calm; his wrinkles along his eyes were blended into a smooth surface. His blond hair streamed all over his pillow and his pale, soft beard stubble shimmered in the silvery daylight. Lucius' upper body was as pale as his face and his light muscular chest was adorned with pale hair which, from Hermione's point of view, seemed soft. His arms were muscular, not as if he'd been working out at a gym or something but Hermione could see his tense muscles under his soft, white and frail skin.

'_It would be so easy… so easy to take a pillow and suffocate him_…'

'_The Ministry would investigate… but they aren't used to this kind of murder, they are used to spells, but no psychical assault_…'

'_To them it would look like a normal death…. no signs of magic, nothing_…'

'_Are you capable of murder? Would you stand it_?'

Quietly she made her way to the bed, with trembling hands she picked up a pillow. She drew a deep breath, he still slept like a baby… it would be so easy. She tiptoed over to his bedside, standing there for a minute, watching him breathe. Soon she would stop that breathing, soon she would take her revenge, soon she would avenge those women he'd raped, those men and children, mothers and fathers he'd killed.

'_I hope this will hurt_.'

She prepared herself and then she flung forward with the pillow. But she felt herself grow cold as his right hand, fast as a snake had her own in a tight iron grip, tight enough to make her whimper in pain. She saw how his eyes, as if in a slow motion movie, opened. They were slightly narrowed as he slowly rose from his lying position, she gulped, and all of a sudden her plan didn't seem so smart.

"Well, well, well, trying to kill me, Hermione?" he drawled, his voice dripping of sarcasm.

"Yes," she hissed, trying to wriggle her hand loose from his, still holding the emerald green pillow in a tight grip.

"But why with a pillow, I might ask?" His jaws were clenched and she could see how his smooth skin tensed around his jaw-bones.

"Because it would fit a man like you to die that way," she managed to say; rage took the better side of her, making her angry instead of scared.

"My dear _wife_," he spat, putting extra pressure on the last word, "I can't have you trying to kill me, and I most certainly can't have you treating me with this outrageous disrespect."

"I'll only treat those who deserve respect with respect," she spat back, making sure not to break eye contact with his blazing, grey irises, "You are nothing but a murderer, a man of violence, a despicable rapist, a villain, you're not worthy of my respect."

He stared at her, narrowing his eyes even more if possible. Slowly, whilst still holding her arm in a painful grip he crawled off the bed forcing her to back away. He rose before her, towering above her, staring her down with his icy stare which usually would have made her shiver, but right now she was too worked up by the situation to be scared or even a slightly bit frightened.

"Sooner or later you'll realise just how wrong you are… I am very much worthy of your respect, if you want to keep yourself alive," he growled, clearly about to explode sooner or later, sadly enough for Hermione, she was too angry to take notice of the approaching danger.

"You are evil, no, you're PATHETIC!" Just as the last word left her mouth she regretted it, it became clear to her with whom she was dealing with, and the fact that she'd just called the man, who's highest struggle was to gain respect and power, pathetic, was _not_ a good idea.

"We'll see about _that_," he hissed and in one swift movement he had thrown her on the bed.

'_Alright, this is the moment when he is going to rape you, nicely done, Hermione._'

She felt him as he, with his whole bodyweight, pressed her down into the mattress. For a while he just lay there, Hermione had problems breathing and she didn't know what he would do next. What he would do to her she could only imagine.

"Do you feel it, Hermione? Do you suddenly understand? Is it fear, Hermione?" He purred close to her ear, she felt his hot breath as it tickled her neck. "You see, Hermione, I could do what I want with you now….break your neck for instance; you know I could…..am I pathetic, Hermione? How could power be pathetic?"

"You are despicable," she whispered into the mattress.

"I am powerful," he whispered and kissed her neck lightly, "Remember that, I could break your neck, snap it in two, I could torture you for days. You know my past; don't challenge fate."

He withdrew from her, she felt how she could breath freely again. She turned around and found him standing there, watching her with a strange look upon his face; half friendly, half scary.

"I'm going to do some errands today, some arrangements have to be done," he watched her for a mere second before he continued, "My house-elves will see to your needs, you are welcome to investigate the manor but _don't_ I repeat _DON'T_ open doors which are locked."

He swept into the bathroom and after a while he came out fully clothed, before he left their bedroom he stopped in the doorframe and spoke.

"You'll find your clothes in a wardrobe in the next room, they've been sent here."

"Where's my cat?" She suddenly asked, remembering her pet.

"Do you really think that I would have a cat in my home?" he sneered.

"He's my friend," she wailed, "You must let me have him here."

"Goodbye, Hermione," he spoke to her in a mocking tone and then left the room.

_It seems I lost my direction  
don't have the strength to let it slip  
Have no desire for the shore  
Just let me play here for some time_

_Spend some quality time with the demon of mine  
I like the way you struggle but you know I'm here to win  
Spent some quality time with my borrowed smile  
the gleam is replaced, rip me open and erase me_

After quite some time she got up from the bed. For a while she just walked around the bedroom, still only clothed in a sheet. Then, when daylight shone through the windows, she finally decided to get dressed. She walked into the bathroom once again, this time she found a door which she, during her earlier visit, hadn't noticed. She opened the door and found herself in a huge wardrobe.

The room contained one small corridor which had to be at least fifteen meters long; there lain an emerald green carpet over the dark brown oak parquet flooring. One couldn't see the walls in this enormous wardrobe, because from floor to roof it only contained closets….closets that were made of oak and ebony.

'_Sweet Merlin! Who owns so much clothing? One wouldn't have time to wear all of them in one lifetime_.'

'_I bet that Lucius has at least a thousand different suits._'

She opened one of the (at least) hundred closets and found it stuffed with beautiful vests in silk, velvet and in some rare cases linen, all of them were rare, extraordinary and smelled as if they were newly bought. She kept on opening doors and found out how Lucius organized his life; he had five, _five_ closets stuffed with undergarments. In at least ten of his closets she found vests and other 'lighter' clothing, she found twenty full closets containing; classical wizard robes (they looked like night-gowns) and trousers in different colours, mostly green and black. In thirty of his closets she found shirts, cotton shirts, cloaks and one box full with silk ribbons in different colours. In one closet she found shoes, boots and some sandals. When she reached the last closet (on her right side, there was still fifty closets remaining on her left side) she found it locked, locked with a complicated spell. This fact made her very, _very_ curious.

'_I wonder what he's keeping in there; this isn't some easy handled wards. They've been made with extra knowledge and cunning… worthy for a professor's chamber… I wonder…_'

"_Accio wand_."

She waited impatiently for minutes, nothing happened. She growled deep down in her throat, that bastard had prevented her from having her wand. She drew a deep breath and then, with all the force she was capable of she called again.

"_ACCIO WAND! A-C-C-I-O W-A-N-D_!"

Then she heard a weak thumping sound from one of the closets on her left side, she turned around and followed it. It sounded like a pen tapping on a traditional school bench, or like marbles that fell to the ground. After a while she found the suspicious closet and then opened it. She was about to be hit in the face when a wand with ultra speed flew through the air, she ducked quickly and her piece of magical wood hit the closet behind her before falling with a clatter to the ground.

'_Now, Lucius, I'll investigate what you're hiding behind those wards,_' she thought as she picked up her wand from the floor and started to walk slowly toward Lucius' last closet.

She stood in front of his closet for minutes, only investigating which spells he'd been using, after about thirty minutes she felt that she had all the knowledge she needed to open the door, without trigging the alarm or leaving any traces of her visit.

'_First of all he's using a simple warding charm, probably to conceal his next, much heavier ward which must be the Medusa's ward. Now this ward turns the intruder into stone, leaving them petrified until the one who cast the ward returns to un-petrify them,_' She thought and tapped her wand against her chin in a thoughtful gesture.

'_After that I'm pretty sure that he's combined a Fear ward with an alarm ward…… but after that… my, my, my, this one's complicated, I think it's a Wildsmith ward_…'

She drew a deep breath and began with careful movements un-warding the two first wards, they came off easily, she had even had Medusa's ward on her N.E.W.T's. The double ward created some problems, due to its double nature, she had to take detours around the alarm ward but then she had to face the difficulties with the Fear ward. After that she had to confront the Wildsmith ward, a ward which would take her directly to Lucius or some place elsewhere where he would keep intruders until he had time to deal with them. But she overcame that ward too, even though it brought sweat that tickled down her back.

Then it came, the shock. Behind the Wildsmith ward she sensed another, heavy and very, _very_ dark ward. It felt like she had walked directly into a deep blackness when she touched it with her senses. It didn't take long for her to figure out what it was that she'd discovered; it was dark magic, evil magic, forbidden magic.

"Voldemort's guarding charm," she breathed.

This charm was invented by the Dark Lord during the war, it caused the Order many problems during the aftermath of the war, after Voldemort had fallen and they had to free all of his prisoners deep down in his dungeons. This ward, spell, curse or whatever one would like to call it was hard to break and it caused an enormous amount of pain to the one whom made a mistake in the un-warding process.

'_Sweet Merlin, don't let me make a mistake now,_' she thought and began, with trembling movements and with sweaty hands to undo Lucius' last, heavy and evil ward. After what seemed like an hour she made it. With a welcoming 'click' it swung the closet door open and revealed…

_Is this how I want to spend my days?  
Shadowed, it fears me, my utopia  
Try to find some peace to destroy  
_

_These are my sins, I'm heading to fall  
Never understood though I accepted  
All the weakness that I discover  
You gave me a place to hide and lost the key  
Drowned my head just to see it sink_

"Oh my god… Holy Creator… shit…" she breathed as she studied what was inside.

On an otherwise empty and central shelf lay one black cloak with black robes. At the bottom of the closet she found one pair of special made black boots that carried the Dark Mark, on one simple hook a white mask hung. Its empty eyes and grimacing mouth stared at her, she felt herself grow cold as she saw it, and she felt the panic which dwelled inside the darkness of its empty eyes. She could easily replace those black tunnels with one pair of sparkling, blue-grey irises…

'_Close this door, Hermione, close it and don't open it again_,' she thought and closed the door with trembling hands. All of a sudden she felt cold, sick and afraid. Afraid yet the man who had hidden inside those clothes and mask wasn't present.

"_Ron. No, RON!" _

_The redhead fell to the ground; he was hit again, his body cramped. His hands reached for the sky, his cry mixed with thousands of other cries. _

"_And where do you think you're going, **Mudblood**?"_

"_Don't die, Hagrid, please don't die," Harry bent over the half-giant's massive body, the black haired, enormous man on the cold stone floor drew a husky breath and smiled weakly as he, with one hand, gave Harry a friendly pet on his head._

"…_Every one has to, Harry… every… one… oh, it hurts…"_

"_You're going to die, Mudblood. Scream for me." _

_Hermione's body lay listless on a dark dungeon floor, a man in a white mask stood bent over her; he had his wand directed at her throat as he, with enormous satisfaction, screamed a curse. She screamed, screamed for him and he laughed, laughed as if there was no tomorrow._

"_Scream for me."_

"_Scream."_

She had closed the door, re-installed his wards and was now sitting in one corner of his huge wardrobe, still wrapped in a deep blue silk sheet and with tears streaming down her cheeks. She quivered uncontrollably, her mouth went dry and she felt cold, deadly cold.

'_I can't stay here…I must get out… I must…_' a panicked voice whispered inside her head.

'_Calm down, C-A-L-M DOWN_,' her logical voice told her irritably.

'_He's going to kill me, I'm sure of it. He's a Death Eater, he hates me._'

'_Scream for me… scream_,' an echo from the past shouted in her head, mixing with her own pictures and memories from her visit in the Death Eater's nest.

'_Calm DOWN_.'

'_SCREAM FOR ME!_'

'_Stop it_,'

'_Scream, Mudblood, scream for me….. let me see your pain….. scream_,'

'_Sto-_'

'_Scream_.'

"ARGGGGGGGGG!" she threw her head backwards and screamed, screamed at the top of her lungs, panic gripped tightly around her throat. A jolt of pain shot through her body, her mind made her repeat her worst traumas, it felt so real.

'_Scream… scream… that's right… scream_,'

"Mrs? Mrs!"

Some one shook her shoulders violently; she opened her eyes and found herself face to face with the poorest creature in history. The house-elf had a brownish skin, it was dirty and here and there she recognized cuts, bruises and half healed wounds. It had lost one ear, the other one hung at the right side of the creature's head making a wounded expression. It wore a dirty, feeble towel around its thin and starving weak waist.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry to awake, Mrs, but she screamed, yes she did," it stuttered and withdrew from Hermione, crawling backwards and backed up against a closet, making sure not to face Hermione or meet her eyes.

"Nothing to worry about," Hermione spoke weakly, her chest tightened at the sight of this poor creature, her own sorrows were forgotten, she'd found her new project.

"N-n-nothing t-t-to worry about? Mrs says it's nothing to w-w-worry about?"

"What's your name?" Hermione politely asked making sure that her tone was a soft one.

"Dust," he answered and made a terrible excuse of a bow, "at your service, Mrs… you are master's new wife aren't you?"

"Yes I am," she confirmed, "And you can call me Hermione, not Mrs, not mistress, nothing but Hermione, do you understand?"

"No, no, no, I can't call you by your first given name. I can't even call you by your surname……_nonononono_! I'm not allowed to do that, master will-"

"My name's Hermione, you're free to use it," Hermione assured, "And I won't tell your _master._"

"Dust will gladly call Mrs Malfoy Hermione. Dust like master's new wife. Would Hermione like Duster to help her get dressed?"

"I would be delighted."

_Spend some quality time with the demon of mine  
"I like the way you struggle but you know I'm here to win"  
Spent some quality time with my borrowed smile  
The gleam is replaced, rip me open and erase me_

_Spent some quality time with the demon of mine  
"I like the way you struggle but you know I'm here to win"  
Spent some quality time with my borrowed smile  
The gleam is replaced, rip me open and erase me_

**

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Feedback on reviews :)**

**  
Vera-Sabe:**

Hi Vera-Sabe! And thanks for a marvellous review, I must tell you that you've just beaten all records, your review is by far (in my fanfic) the longest and most adorable :) even though I suspect just a little bit of exaggeration. But I have to share your credit with my beta, because she's the one who are making all the corrections (I'm from Sweden and my grammar could be better )

Yes, I've had some very great responses on chapter 15, I liked it to, and my first "erotic" scène in my writing ever so I'm pretty proud of it. So you liked chapter eight? You have to be the first; I got very few reviews on that one – even though I laughed the whole "shower" scene because I just had this very funny picture of a soaking wet Lucius playing inside my head.

Change for the better, eh? Well, for Hermiones sakes one could only hope, no? And I agree with you, Lucius Malfoy is by far the sexiest character in JK's universe. People keep babbling about Sirius, Remus and Snape – but to me – Lucius Malfoy is the sexiest… and the actor added to that –mmm–

So you'd like him to be a bit nicer? Well I can't promise you that, but I've got no intentions of letting him hurt Hermione (badly) – but to me he won't be Lucius if he's not evil. But at some point you're right, I can't have him being evil if they'll have a child so I'll just work that out :P

Hope you liked this chapter and _I'M_ waiting at the edge of my seat for another lovely review from you, reviews like yours making me want to write more – it's encouraging me to do my best.

**Oliver's Quidditch Crazy:**  
You know what? Your Review left me breathless, I was pretty down when I got it and it made me a bit happier, thanks for that. I'm very proud over the fact that I've succeeded to convert a scared fic-reader into LM/HG… now I'm only waiting for you to become obsessed –rub my hands– I'm very glad that you like my writing style :) it brings sunshine into my world.

Yeah, the Pansy/Seamus thing actually kept me laughing to for a while or so, but actually – the idea of that reaction weren't mine – I picked it up some where and modified it – but can't remember where. Yeah, I'm probably upsetting a whole world of Ron/Hermione shippers, but it has to be done, JK's going to have them end up together anyways so it's not interesting to write about it.

So you liked Draco? Yeah, I'm very proud of him to; he turned out to be just as evil as he is in the books. I hate it when people are making him sugar-cute or even nice :S it doesn't fit his character to be nice… or what do you think? –Hehe– and about that necklace… -dun dun- you'll have to stay true to find out :)

**Apollonia2:**  
Hey, my fateful reviewer – I'm glad you liked my 15:th chapter, I liked it myself :) I hope you found this chapter just as satisfying, or at least readable.

**Dark Secret1**  
The reason why Hermione didn't fight Lucius were that she were in a trance-like state, caused by the wedding-dress… it's a plot which will explain that later on because one piece of white fabric can change lives… that's ONE reason, the other one is that I didn't want her to fight because then he had to fight and it would have ended up as rape and I didn't want Lucius to rape her… I actually hasn't the slightest idea when I'll end this story – not yet because there's a lot to be done before I can write "THE END"

**Jay FicLover**

I'm sorry Jay, I can't start another fanfic right now, I'm of the opinion that one has to complete what one has started – may I suggest that you writ it yourself? There's not enough LM/HG pairings out there in the fic-world, why don't you begin to fill that empty space? Thanks for reviewing :)

**Sexy-jess:**  
First of all – thanks – I really appreciate your reviews. –laughs– I know what it's like, I got embarrassed time to time while writing it ;)

**Storygirl2009**

I'm glad that you liked the fact that she liked it. Because to me Lucius has been some kind of symbol for good sex –choughs– don't know why, so to me its natural that he can satisfy a woman, even though she doesn't like him – sounds complicated, no?

And I'm also glad that you like my description, I've been working on it. I've been caught by his charms, because he's beautiful – that kind of man whom would pass 40 without noticing. That kind of man whom still would be admired by younger girls even though it's "forbidden" for them to look. Erhm, you thought this chapter would be awesome… so, here it is – liked it? I think it's a bit lame but it still caught a bit of my interest… I liked the house-elf… I'll tell my beta that you liked the grammar and spelling, she's the one responsible you know. Thanks for reviewing :)

**I'd also like to thank:**

Paprika, Morrigane, Mysteriousneptune17, CharmedLeoLvr, Hotskittles, xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx, Sexy she-devil and Sneezlemo for reviewing :) and the one who's been left out has to e-mail me and yell at me for doing that :) THANKS!

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Thanks to my wonderful Beta, she's the best – what would I do without her? 

**Sneak peak:**

S.P.E.W's not dead! Hermione in action, a confused Dust and a… angry, pissed off and totally freaked out Lucius?


	17. Duster

**Hi everyone!**

I loved writing this chapter, so I hope you'll love reading it – I'll be hearing from you I presume :) do enjoy your reading.

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 17:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Kansas and is called "**Dust** in the wind" ;)

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

But other ways - ENJOY :)

* * *

**Duster**

_I close my eyes  
only for a moment, then the moment's gone  
all my dreams  
Pass before my eyes, a curiosity  
Dust in the wind  
all we are is dust in the wind  
_

Have you ever been in a dress-shop and been totally disgusted with the sight of clothes? Well, that doesn't happen very often, in most cases you would be delighted, but in this case Hermione wasn't. The one who had a house-elf to serve them would know. The little creatures had through the ages learnt how to handle a snobbish Pureblood and how to handle a Pureblood was evidently to spoil them with no limits, namely to crawl in the dirt (a lot), beg for forgiveness (much), always find the best and insist on always doing their best.

For an hour and a half Hermione had been standing in that god damned wardrobe, impatiently trying out numerous dresses, shirts, robes and shoes. Evidently the old matron, Narcissa, left _a lot_ of clothing behind. Hermione had thought that Lucius had disgustingly too much clothing, but Narcissa, it seemed, had been far worse. After Lucius' last closet on Hermione's right had Narcissa's closets after it (then continued on Hermione's left). At first Hermione had thought that it was only the fifty closets which she saw from there but Duster had shown her just how wrong she was. The last of Narcissa's closets (the ones that were closest to the door that led to the bathroom) were empty, instead of clothes there was another door that led to Narcissa's 'private' wardrobe which contained at least a hundred more closets.

"Her interest must have been shopping," Hermione muttered as Duster showed her a very expensive and glittering hand-made dress.

"Oh yes, my former mistress loved shopping, yes, yes she did. Bought herself a new dress every week she did, threw them away after a while…._yesyesyes_ she did," Duster eagerly answered and waved the dress in front of Hermione, trying to make her try it on.

"Spoilt bastards, all of them," Hermione growled and shook her head at the dress in front of her face.

"Yes they are, they are very sp-" Duster clamped his hands over his mouth; evidently he'd just realised what he was about to say, "_BAD_ Duster! _BAD_ Duster!"

The poor creature dropped the dress on the floor and started wailing, wriggling his hands and began hitting himself on his head. Always repeating; bad Duster, bad Duster. Hermione gasped, she had seen that reaction before, but she always had heart ache when she saw it.

"Duster….Duster, Sweet Merlin, stop it," she gasped and took hold of Duster's sickly thin arms, thus stopping him from hitting himself.

"Duster spoke ill of his family," he cried and blew his nose in his already dirty towel.

"Yes you did," Hermione answered calmly, Duster stared at her his eyes were wide in fear.

"Duster is so sorry, Mrs. Malfoy, Duster will punish himself… Duster forgot she was a Malfoy, speaking nice to Duster and all, Duster's going to pu-"

"You _DID_ speak ill of your family, Duster, and with all rights," Hermione continued, holding the poor creature's arms firmly, whilst meeting his eyes.

"M-M-Mrs w-w-wanted Duster t-t-to? _Nonononono_," the creature stared wide eyed at Hermione which made a lump rise in her throat.

Hermione couldn't help what happened next; she needed comfort, Duster needed comfort. She needed a friend, he needed a friend…..they needed each other. She had lost her cat, she wasn't about to let this mistreated, cute, creature go without a fight. Therefore she bent forward and with trembling hands she picked up the quivering house-elf, he didn't fight her, he didn't move at all as she gently hugged his thin frame. She stood there for a while, holding on to the vibrating, and by now, sniffling creature, all of a sudden she felt a small hand as it sneaked around her neck…….Duster was hugging her back.

They didn't need words, they didn't need fine words or false understanding, the only thing they understood was that both of them needed love and caring. By now both of them were crying; Duster cried because he for the first time in his miserably life felt loved, Hermione cried because of the fact that Duster had never felt love.

"Would you like to know something, Duster?" Hermione asked gently and stroked Duster over his head, the creature shivered but finally he answered.

"No, Mrs Hermione."

"I think I know what I want to wear today."

"She does?" Duster withdrew from her neck from where he had rested his head and faced her.

"I want to wear a towel," Hermione stated and Duster stared horrified at her.

"Mrs Hermione wants to wear a _towel_? No, no, no! Oh no! Mrs can't do that," he protested and shook his head violently, "Master would kill her, yes he would. She would be wearing the same thing as a… a… a…"

"As a house-elf?" Hermione finished for him, Duster nodded eagerly, "I want to wear the same thing as you do….what's your favourite colour?"

"Duster's favourite c-c-colour? Mrs Hermione just asked about D-D-Duster's favourite colour?" the poor creature seemed to be getting upset again so Hermione calmly caressed his head to show him it was okay. After a while Duster answered with a trembling voice, "Duster likes red, yes he does."

"Red is a lovely colour, this house seems to be lacking it… hey, I've got a great idea," Hermione whispered, "Come on."

She carried the house-elf into the bathroom, when there she closed the door into Lucius' and his dead wife's huge wardrobe. She walked over to the washbasin and carefully, without making any sudden movements, removed Duster's feeble and dirty towel.

"What's Mrs Hermione doing?" Duster asked with an alarming voice. He made feeble attempts to stop her with his thin and weak arms.

"Do you trust me, Duster?" Hermione asked and stopped herself.

"Y-y-yes, Duster trusts Mrs Hermione, yes he does," the little creature relaxed in her arms.

"I'm going to wash you, Duster, and heal your wounds. Would you allow me to do that?"

"Yes."

Hermione smiled a genuine smile and was met by a very weak smile from Duster. She finished the removal of his towel and then dropped him in the washbasin, fastened the plug and turned on the hot water. She added some soap and began scrubbing Duster's thin body.

The little house-elf closed his eyes and shivered in pleasure as all the dirt was washed away from him. Hermione had to empty and re-fill the washbasin three times before all the dirt was gone; the first round of water was brown when she pulled the plug. When she was finally done she studied him, he who had been brown was now almost silvery grey, his skin was beautiful, just like an old silver-spoon.

After the bath she picked him up once more and then searched through the bathroom and found what she were searching for……Lucius' own towel. With that towel she dried the little creature off, feeling an enormous pleasure in doing so. Then she put him down and went for her wand, she found it in a corner of Lucius' wardrobe.

"I'm not sure, Duster, but this might hurt…I've never tried this spell before, a usual healing spell wouldn't bite on your cuts and bruises…is that okay?"

"Duster trusts Mrs Hermione, yes he does. Mrs Hermione is a great witch," he quipped and sat down on the cold floor. Hermione drew a deep breath and muttered:

"_Rotensus medicor_…"

From Hermione's wand tip a green light exploded and hit Duster, the little creature shivered but made no other signs of displeasure or pain. Duster glowed green for a while, the light pulsed around him; he looked like a huge lava-lamp. After a while, though, the light faded and left Duster sitting on the floor with a dreamy expression on his little face.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" Hermione asked with her voice a little shaky. Duster opened his eyes a bit, sighing dreamily and answered her.

"No… no, Duster's feeling nothing, Duster feels… he feels…" the little creature couldn't seem to find words for what he felt. Hermione was about to start the next step in her 'saving Duster' mission when her new friend finally knew what he felt, "Duster feels happy… he feels light."

"Most of your wounds are gone, and your bruises… only some scars remain," Hermione remarked and placed her index finger over one particular scar that leapt over Duster's chest.

"Duster feels… he feels… _loved._" the last word came out in a whisper, as if it was a forbidden curse.

"You are loved…..now you are loved," Hermione had to fight her need to cry again; she sniffed behind a hand before she continued, "Now I'll get both you and me a new towel. What about a...a _red_ towel?"

Hermione rose from the floor on which she had been sitting and walked over to the hooks that held one hand-towel and one bath-towel, both of them white. Hermione took them and went back to Duster, drew her wand and spoke:

"_Mutatio__ cruentus_"

Both of their towels turned red as blood, red as a rose, red as... red as a Gryffindor's colours. Hermione sighed and watched her work, Duster loved to watch, his face held a mask of rapture. Hermione picked up the largest towel and exchanged her blue sheet with it, she swept it around her chest and fastened it behind her back. Duster had, during the process of Hermione wrapping the towel around herself, picked up his and in one swift movement he'd made a complicated shroud around his lower body.

"Would you like to show me the kitchen, Duster?" Hermione asked politely, she didn't even have to wait for an answer because Duster was already out of the room, eagerly waving his hand as a sign for her to follow him.

_  
Same old song  
Just a drop of water in an endless sea  
all we do  
crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see  
Dust in the wind  
all we are is dust in the wind  
_

When Hermione got to the kitchen she gasped, because a kitchen that big could only be found at Hogwarts, which in had to produce food for hundreds of students. Malfoy manor's kitchen only had to produce food to _one_, well, _two_ when Draco was home.

"What would my mistress want to do now?" Duster asked eagerly.

"First of all, she wishes that you would stop calling her 'mistress'. Secondly she wishes to know where you keep your eggs, flour, salt, milk and stuff like that," Hermione answered and walked towards a stove huge enough to live inside.

"If mi-……Hermione tells Duster what she needs, Duster will bring it to her," the little creature answered.

"Well I need…two cups of flour, two and a half teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon salt, two eggs, one and a half cups of milk and two teaspoons of butter."

"Mrs Hermione wants pancakes," Duster squealed and jumped up and down on the spot, "Duster will make her pancakes, yes he will."

"No you won't," Hermione protested.

"I won't make you pancakes? What does she want Duster to make for her morning meal then?"

"First of all, it's almost lunchtime. Secondly I want to make them myself, but you're welcome to help me if you want."

"She wants to cook her own food!" Duster's eyes were about to pop out from their sockets, "I can't let her make her own food. _Nononononono_. Master would kill Duster; Duster's job is to cook food for his Master and Mistress, mistress is not allowed to cook her own food, _nonononono_."

"But Master's not here, is he?" Hermione asked and narrowed her eyes, "And if he comes home early you'll just run away and hide, I'll handle him."

"He would kill you. Duster can't allow Master to hurt Hermione."

"Listen to me, Duster, if your Master, my husband comes home you'll have to run and hide. He can kill you without being punished, but he _can't_ kill me, that's illegal… promise Duster."

"Duster promise," the little elf sighed and hung his only ear.

"Good, would you like to help me with my lunch?"

"Duster would be… what would a wizard say?… Duster would be _delighted_."

"Bring me those eggs then," Hermione laughed.

_  
Now, don't hang on  
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky  
It slips away  
And all your money won't another minute buy  
Dust in the wind  
All we are is dust in the wind  
All we are is dust in the wind  
_

Hermione loved pancakes; she'd practically been brought up on them. Therefore everything went smoothly in the kitchen, Duster helped clean up after them, bringing the right ingredients and keeping guard in case Lucius turned up. Hermione turned pancakes with a passion, flipping them upwards with one frying pan and catching them with another frying pan.

One pancake flew too high though thus hitting the roof and then dangled from it in a laughable manner. Hermione began laughing, but Duster hadn't noticed the dangling threat, as he came rushing towards the stove with crème and strawberry jam. Hermione was about to warn him, but too late, the half baked dish fell with a disgusting splash from the roof and landed on Duster's head; it looked like a strange hat.

Hermione stared for a moment, then she started laughing; she laughed to the point of drawing tears. After a while she even heard Duster's nervous laughter from under the pancake-hat. Then Hermione decided to go crazy, she picked up a pancake and placed it on her own head. Duster, whom in just that moment, had peeked from under the pancake, caught a glimpse of his Mistress, standing there in a red towel, in the kitchen with a pancake on her head laughing so hard that she was almost un-able to stand up. It was in that moment Duster first laughed in mirth and then heard hasty footsteps outside the kitchen. He tried to inform Hermione that they were in danger, but she laughed too hard to take notice of him and with a panicked squeal he disappeared into the nearest cupboard, just as he had promised Hermione earlier.

And that was how Lucius found her, standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing a _red_ towel and a pancake on her head. She was laughing so hard that she didn't even notice him entering, even though he had thrown the door open with full force.

"What in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing?" he roared, causing, if anything, Hermione to snap back to reality.

"I-I-I-I… I'm making pancakes," She answered, her voice unsteady, but if it were from fright or aftermath of her earlier laughing, Lucius didn't know.

"A Malfoy wife _never_ does the dirty work by herself," Lucius growled and came closer, "Why didn't you make a house-elf do the work for you!"

"Because I'm against slavery. It's despicable and it ended in the civilised world ages ago. Only stone-age wizards still keep them. Freedom for all house-elves, hail S.P.E.W!"

"Don't you dare…don't you dare," Lucius threatened.

"I believe that I am daring. Death to slavery, hail democracy," she shouted back, evidently forgetting that morning's events.

Lucius was in front of her with three hasty strides, towering above her just as he used to do, but Hermione stretched on tip-toe to make herself longer, this time he wouldn't break her, he wouldn't…..couldn't. He raised one arm as if he wished to slap her, but then he lowered it again, giving her an icy stare. The fact that he hadn't hit her gave her courage, he wouldn't dare. Everything was just…

"Empty words……you wouldn't dare you cow-"

**_Smack_**-

She fell backwards and landed on the floor with a weak whimpering sound. A lonely tear fell from her cheek as she touched where she had been hit with Lucius bare hand, it burned….hurt. Lucius bent over her, giving her a cold glare.

"I told you not to challenge fate, Hermione, let this be a reminder to you," he sneered and turned on his heel, making a dramatic exit with his black coat swirling behind him.

When the door slammed shut she began to cry violently, she sat there for a while, knees up against her chin as an exploding headache worked its damage in her head. She then felt two tiny arms as they wrapped around her neck, Duster crawled up in her knee. She hugged him tightly and kept repeating in her mind:

'_Everything will be fine, just calm down.'_

'_Calm down_…'

_Now, don't hang on  
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky  
It slips away  
And all your money won't another minute buy  
Dust in the wind  
All we are is dust in the wind  
All we are is dust in the wind_

* * *

Alright, I know what all of you're thinking right now - ABUSE! How can there be love betwen those two? You needn't wory because I've got everything figured out - thanks for reviewing :)

**Cafecappucino:**

Thanks :) – well I do try to update frequently, but there isn't just enough time, I wish I just could be at home, writing on my own fantasy novel (and this fanfic) but sadly enough I can't do that… you know – school and stuff like that, my athletic training takes a lot of time to.

**Hotskittles:**

Thank you, I loved that chapter to. Uhm… I'm not quite sure if I caught you there, did you ask me if Ron and Hermione ever would be again? I'm sorry, but they would never ever be again (in my fic), I've got no intentions of turning this into a RW/HG fic…

**Brittany Malfoy:**

Well, Hermione, as you know, could be "a hard time" for everyone :) so yes, she's going to give him a hard time – in the future. Oh… a party? Sounds interesting, I'll maybe include that into my story – if it's okay with you if I do that… (it's no promise though)

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx:**

Oh yes, he is – but tell me, who wouldn't go through a hell with her as a wife… but right now I think Lucius is still having the upper hand… for a little while more… ;)

**Storygirl2009:**

I'm glad you liked the aftermath of the wedding night. No, no real surprise weren't it, one could only suspect that Lucius kept his dark past looked up somewhere. I will write more about them in the future… it will help their relationship so to say :)

**Livethroughtheatre:**

Thank you for that statement; "one of the few who gives it justice" I like that, thank you, and I'm glad you liked my fic – it always brings lightening to my writing to know that I have ensnared a new reader :)

**Oliver's Quidditch Crazy:**

Yes, yes she has! Yesyesyes:) Yeah, I'm totally in love with that creature… he reminds me a bit of Dobby – though Duster's a bit braver. (otherwise everything would have went so slow) –laughs- want to live in the manor? I would ;) just imagine FIFTY closets stuffed with expensive clothing? I'd die from happiness :) but apparently Hermione's not so thrilled. You thought Lucius had much clothing, well, now you know that Narcissa at least had the double… spoiled is the only word I can come up with.

* * *

**Sneak peak:  
**Everytning's finaly calming down, until one day - Draco comes home - and all hell breaks lose. Hermione's asking Lucius if she can have Duster as her... _what_!

See yah:)


	18. Turn it upside down

**Hi everyone!**

Sorry it's taken so long for me to writ this chapter, but I've been VERY busy, I'm going to buy a dog soon and you know how much time THAT takes…

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 18:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Clannad and is called "Almost seems"

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

But other ways - ENJOY :)

* * *

**Turn it upside-down**

_Oh, I care a lot  
you don't believe it's true, do you?  
So, the answer's not given before you start  
and try  
_

She could have told herself that everything had been better since that day in the kitchen, she could even have convinced herself that the fact that Lucius hadn't touched her ever since then was good…….an improvement. They had been sharing bed, but he hadn't laid a finger on her, she wondered why sometimes, probably because she wasn't beautiful enough. Her pig of a husband did probably fool around in a motel room with beautiful, willing girls. Not that she cared much, in fact, she preferred it that way, but she felt so useless.

Well, one week passed without any difficulties, Lucius was gone for the better part of the day; hectic days at the Ministry were the only thing he mumbled before wandering off to "work". Leaving Hermione behind, she felt like a pile of useless crap, a house wife without a housewife's duties. Then everything happened so fast, it was in the middle of the second week that Hermione begun feel a bit uneasy, her breasts hurt a bit and she felt ill one day when she woke up. Those two signs were alarming, but she ignored them, hoping that her mind was playing foul tricks on her. Sadly enough she soon got further evidence three days later, she was roaming the lonely halls of Malfoy manor when she found a door, a door which lead the way into a…

"Oh my god, sweet Merlin," she gasped at the sight before her.

She found herself staring at a library, huge enough to belong to Hogwarts, even though Hermione suspected that Hogwarts beat the Malfoy manor's with some bookcases. At first she couldn't believe her eyes, it was fantastic, all those books on their shelves seemed to smile in her direction. She felt like flying as she made her way towards one of the nearest bookcases; this one seemed to be the 'historical section' because the books held titles such as: '_Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century',_ '_Notable Magical Names of Our Time'_, '_Sites of Historical Sorcery', 'The great goblin war' and 'Middle age Sorcery'._

_'It would take a life-time to read all of these books…'_

_'I have a life time… I could spend all my life in here…'_

_Hermione sighed happily, a thing she hadn't done in ages. She brushed past the historical section and soon enough she found a book which interested her without limits, "Old and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms", typical for her. She at once seated herself on the nearest object possible, this time an old, if not antique armchair._

_She had read for one whole hour when she suddenly felt like throwing up; getting up on her shaky legs she rushed out of the library, the _nausea almost suffocated her when she hurried towards the nearest (known to her) bathroom. When she got there she threw the door open and almost doubled over the toilet as she vomited.

Afterwards she sat on the toilet lid, shaking like a leaf dangling from a branch in the after math of the autumn. She put her head in her hands and shook it, there was almost no doubt about what was happening to her; after all she'd been reading about it. But she had to be sure; therefore she rose and exited the bathroom. She hurried along a corridor and then she climbed upwards a huge staircase before she reached the bedroom she shared with Lucius. When she entered their bedroom she first had a shower and then, with utter disgust, she entered the huge wardrobe again.

After some minutes of searching she found a white blouse and a long blue skirt, both of them heavily embroidered with pearls and gems. She put on a pair of soft sandals on her bare feet and then hurried into the bathroom again to brush and braid her hair.

Finally in a decent state she roamed through the Malfoy manor until she found a fireplace and some Floo powder. She grabbed a hand full and screamed:

"St. Mungo's hospital reception."

_  
Almost seems too late to turn  
what to do if I'm to learn?  
Almost seems too late to turn  
to you  
_

The bumpy ride resulted in some bruises and even more feeling of sickness, but finally she ended up in St. Mungo's familiar reception. She crawled out from the fireplace and then stood up, watching the environment. The walls around her were white, the floor was white and the roof was white in the typical hospital fashion. In one corner she spotted one beige sofa and two armchairs in the same colour. Beside the two armchairs a little table was placed, on top of that table she saw numerous of tittle-tattle magazines, such as _Witch Weekly, Gossip in the wizard-world, Super wizards, Fashionable dress robes, Little lovely witch _and _hair & nails – it's like magic._

In one armchair she saw a little chubby witch with her two kids; she was reading a magazine with a _very_ unhappy expression upon her swollen face. Her two snotty-nosed children sat on the floor and played with what seemed to be an enchanted ball. In the waiting room Hermione also found a reception with the sign '_Very busy_' floating at eye-level, the receptionist wasn't in sight.

"E-e-excuse me, madam?" Hermione staggered towards the witch who immediately glanced past her magazine and turned around to face Hermione.

"Yes?" She asked in a sharp tone.

"Um… do they see patients at this time of day?"

"Yes, they are supposed to," the witch growled and gave one of her kids a severe reprimand for nothing in particular. "I've been waiting here for hours, Dave and Mike has been suffering from a cold for a while now, but the doctors just don't give a damn about us. Here I am, respectable witch with money and all, but they just don't give a shit."

"I'm… I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione stuttered, she was offended by the witch's sharp tone and words, after all, Hermione hadn't done anything to offend this woman.

"No you aren't," the witch sneered and gave Hermione a cold glare, "and who are you by the way? Why are you here? You don't seem to be ill or anything."

"I'm Her-"

"Never mind, I can _tell_ who you are just by looking at you," the witch continued without listening at Hermione, "You're wearing expensive clothes, but that doesn't fool me. You're probably a worthless burden for our society…you look like a well dressed up _worker_. Tell me, are your parents working for the Ministry? Carrying out the dirty jobs perhaps?"

"They aren't-"

"And I suppose that your boyfriend, if someone as ugly as you has one, is a useless piece of shit who lives on grants!"

"I'm married," Hermione coolly replied.

"Even worse," the witch snarled and then decided not to listen or talk with Hermione more because she put her nose down in the magazine again.

A door opened and a nurse dressed in white attire entered the room, she carried a folder and her blonde hair was put up in a knot at the back of her head. She wore a white, pointy hat with red embroideries and on her chest a name-sign was pinned; it read 'Eleanor Stubbs' in red letters.

"About time," the witch growled and began to rise from her armchair, "Come on you two."

"Sorry, Mrs Steal," the nurse told the chubby witch, "but I'm here to collect another patient."

"What's this?" the witch called out in rage, "I've been waiting here for hours."

"I'm _SORRY,_ Mrs Steal, but it isn't your turn yet. I'm here to collect Mrs Malfoy."

"Mrs Mal-" Mrs Steal turned around and stared at Hermione.

"I told you I was married," Hermione smiled in Mrs Steal's direction, her eyes almost popped out from their sockets in pure shock.

"This way, Mrs Malfoy," The nurse called and Hermione followed her through a door behind the reception desk; Mrs Steal's eyes followed her as she left the room.

"How could I get past her in the queue? I've recently arrived a-"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs Malfoy; your appointment with Dr. Weather has been booked for weeks," the nurse answered quickly.

Hermione doubted that, she suspected that rich families like the Malfoys _always_ had an 'appointment' booked, if they paid well enough to have it 'booked' every day just in case. They strode through the white corridors of St. Mungo's and Hermione once again felt sick, it felt like she was about to vomit again, but she kept her jaws firmly closed and tried to control the raging storm inside her stomach.

The nurse halted abruptly in front of a door and pushed it open, she shooed Hermione inside and then gently closed the door. The room in which Hermione was standing had green walls, white floor and a white ceiling. The room had one big window with green curtains; on the windowsill Hermione saw a pitiful excuse for a pelargonium. Along one of the walls Hermione spotted a bed-like appliance which the doctor always told you to 'lie down here for a minute' on, the room had two chairs and between them a little table with a white cloth on top. Directly in front of Hermione there was a mahogany desk, it was encumbered with journals, papers, pens and quills. Behind the desk sat a middle aged witch with a blending smile.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Weather, you must be Hermione Malfoy," Dr. Weather rose from her chair to greet Hermione properly.

Dr. Weather had ruby-red lips and huge blue eyes, she had some wrinkles along her cheeks and her eyelashes had a discrete hint of mascara. She had wonderful honey coloured hair that was so curly that it almost looked like Hermione's own. Weather had the same kind of strict, white clothing as the nurse, but she had no hat and the buttons on her attire were gold and not plastic like the nurse's had been. Dr. Weather's name-sign read 'Doctor Frieda Weather'

"Yes, I'm Hermione Gr- Malfoy," Hermione answered.

"And you are married to Lucius Malfoy?" Frieda read directly from her journals.

"Y-y-yes I am," Hermione confirmed and swallowed, that fact always made her ill.

"My goodness, you're so young. When I heard that he had just got married I thought that he would have at least picked someone from his own generation… Oh, I'm sorry; I got carried away…" Dr. Weather blushed and Hermione knew that the doctor probably feared that Hermione would run directly to Lucius and tell him about the doctor's contravention.

"No worries, he's a pig; it was an 'arranged' marriage…" Hermione laughed nervously.

"Oh my goodness, yes, now I remember, that horrible law," Frieda went around her desk and walked towards Hermione, she held out her hand and said, "My name is Frieda, I'd like you to use it because I don't like the formal stuff."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Frieda," Hermione told her doctor and took her hand; Frieda smiled and offered Hermione a seat.

"So it's time now?" Frieda asked and sat down on the other chair beside Hermione.

"Time for what?" Hermione asked bewildered.

"For a baby, dear," Frieda stated and looked Hermione over, "Because that's why you're here, isn't it? You'd like to know for sure?"

"Well… yes, I've been feeling sick in the mornings and my breasts hurt a bit too; this morning I threw up for the first time…..I just thought that… you know?"

"Well that's easily fixed, all you have to do is to lie down over there," Frieda told Hermione and pointed towards the strange bed-like appliance, "And I'll just throw some diagnostic spells on you, it will be over in a minute."

"Now?" Hermione asked and rose from her chair.

"If you'd like to," Hermione nodded and Frieda smiled and said, "Then I'd like you to take off that beautiful white blouse of yours and then lie down."

Hermione did as she'd been told, she un-buttoned her blouse and then lay down on the bed-like thing, Frieda rummaged around her room for a while before she returned to Hermione's side. Hermione stared nervously up at Dr. Weather, but she only smiled and told her to relax.

"I'm going to cast a charm on you now, Hermione, I'd like you to stay calm, it could be a bit uneasy because you'll experience a cold feeling, it's nothing to worry about, it's a Stating charm."

Hermione first felt a tingling sensation as the charm hit her; it spread through her belly and then turned icy cold, Hermione gasped, but Frieda once again told her to stay calm. After a while the sensation was gone, the only thing that was left was an uneasy feeling of emptiness. Frieda walked around the room for a while more and then smiling returned to Hermione's side.

"Thanks, Hermione, that was all I needed, you can get dressed now and we'll have a little chat with a nice cup of warm tea, what do you say to that?"

"Sounds lovely," Hermione honestly told Frieda and got up from her lying position, her feet landed on the floor and then she quickly put her blouse back on.

At the time Frieda had called a nurse who brought a tray with a teapot and two mugs with the logo of 'St. Mungo's' written in shiny, red letters. The nurse placed the tray on the little table, poured some tea into the two mugs and then smoothly left the room. Frieda took a seat in one of her two chairs and signalled to Hermione with her right hand that it was okay to sit down.

"Now, I've got the results, would you like to hear them?" Frieda produced a map from nowhere and placed it in her lap.

"Yes please," Hermione spoke weakly and felt the cold sweat as it tickled down her back.

"You, Hermione Malfoy _are_ pregnant, soon in your third week, congratulations," Frieda told her while smiled broadly, Hermione was about to faint.

"T-t-thanks… I suppose…"

"You don't want a baby?" Frieda asked in a worried voice, "We could do a discreet abortion if you'd like…"

"I can't do that… I'm bound to the law to have this baby…" Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"You can't have a baby if you don't want it, it's something you shouldn't take too light hearted, and a child needs love and care…" Frieda seriously told her, "And you are so young, I wouldn't recommend a pregnancy if you don't have full support from your family and husband…"

"There's nothing I can do about it, and I do think that I can handle a baby…" Hermione told the doctor and smiled weakly.

'_But I'm unsure if its father could_…' she secretly spoke in her mind.

"Well then, Mrs Malfoy, you know where you can find me if you need help."

"Yes, thank you," Hermione answered and rose from her chair; she hadn't even touched her tea.

"Here take this; it's for the sickness in the mornings…" Frieda handed Hermione a little vial with a green liquid and added, "Drink it mixed with water, but just take one or two drops at one time."

"Thank you," Hermione took the vial and the left the room.

_I saw the sad decline  
of it become a storm  
stayed so cold last night  
this lonely heart inside me says:_

_Almost seems too late to turn  
what to do if I'm to learn?  
Almost seems too late to turn  
to you  
_

"Mrs Hermione," Hermione were greeted with Dusters nasal voice as she crawled out of the fireplace.

"Hi, Duster," Hermione answered and got up on unsteady legs, "How are yo-"

"Shhh," Duster tiptoed towards her and began wriggling his hands nervously, "Where has Hermione been? Master's so angry; Duster thought he would tear the manor to pieces…"

"I've been at the hospital…" Hermione whispered back, only now realising how much trouble she was in now, "Duster I'm… I'm pregnant."

"And young Master's als-" Duster stopped dead in his track and stared at Hermione, she sighted a lonely tear as it made its way down Dusters cheek, "Hermione's p-p-pregnant!"

"Duster, what…"

"Oh, Duster's so happy for Hermione. She's going to be the best mother ever," Duster squealed, too loudly if one would ask Hermione, "Duster will te-"

"Duster, what did you mean by speaking about Draco?" Hermione felt a nervous tingle deep down in the pit of her stomach.

"He's here, Mrs Hermione, yes, yes he is," Duster came even closer and grabbed the lining of her skirt, "He arrived a couple of hours ago… Duster heard him and Master screaming down in the entrée as he carried young Master's bags upstairs…"

"They were arguing?" Hermione asked with a bit of curiosity in her voice, "But I thought that Draco adored his father, he was always bragging about him…"

"They did not 'argue', they yelled at each other, they were loud, very loud…" Duster shivered and begun wriggling his hands again.

"What did they say, Duster? Why were they-"

"Where have you been, dearest?" Hermione almost jumped five feet off the ground as she heard Lucius velvet voice coming from the doorframe; she looked up and found him standing there, watching them closely and with suspicion. Duster squealed an excuse and threw himself at the floor to bash his head on the cold stone.

"Duster," Hermione kneeled beside the poor creature and picked him up, holding him tight enough so that he couldn't hurt himself further.

"What are you doing?" Lucius hissed and came closer; Hermione knew that he was angry now, mainly because he'd clearly had a bad day, "He is supposed to punish himself."

"You are a monster. Do you hear me? A monster. He's not done anything wrong," Hermione raised her voice one octave or two and she still held Duster close to her chest as if he were a baby.

"I've warned you, Hermione, I don't know how many times, and today I'm not very patient, let go of that house-elf and then _explain_ to me why you weren't at home today."

"I've been out," Hermione yelled and rose so that she at least could face him properly.

"Not in that tone, if you please," He took hold of her arm and twisted, she grimaced in pain but said nothing and she still had a tight grip around a crying Duster.

"Where have you've been?" Lucius once again hissed as his grip shot bolts of pain through her body.

"You're hurting me…" Hermione said through clenched teeth, "You are a coward… a fucking coward, do you understand me? A cow-"

"I've warned you… don't you dare… don't you dare…"

"I am daring. Don't you see? I am daring," she spat back.

He raised his arm once again and Hermione knew that he wouldn't back down with one simple hit this time, she didn't know how she always seemed to be pushing the wrong buttons, but sooner or later Lucius would explode and it wouldn't be to Hermione's benefit if she didn't come up with something soon.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Hermione breathed through the pain which pulsed in her arm, "Abuse me and you could end up with a deformed child."

"Nonsense, Draco's perfectly normal…" Lucius sneered, but he let his arm fall again.

"I'm not talking about Draco; I'm talking about your _new_ child, the one that I'm carrying," Hermione snarled and saw with enormous satisfaction how Lucius' eyes widened in surprise, his grip around her arm loosened and finally he let go of her totally.

"You're pregnant?" he asked with a strange voice.

"Yes I am…" Hermione whispered, "I was at St. Mungo's today… to get it confirmed."

"I beg your pardon for my earlier outburst," Lucius rhetorically asked her, his voice had gone back to the normal and he almost sounded as he regretted what he recently done to her.

"I heard that Draco was home," Hermione asked, trying not to talk about her growing child.

"Yes, he is, I would recommend you to stay away from him…….if you know what's best for you," Lucius' eyes turned cold as he spoke his son's name, Hermione were dying to know what had caused the huge argument between father and son.

"I would like to have Duster as my personal servant," Hermione suddenly spoke, her eyes widened at the realisation of what she'd just said.

"You would like to have him as you're _what_?"

_  
Now, the anger's gone  
it leaves behind a pain, again  
where did we go wrong?  
Let go my shadow, pass me back_

_Almost seems too late to turn  
what to do if I'm to learn?  
Almost seems too late to turn  
to you._

_

* * *

_

**DrowCrazy:**  
I'm glad you're having patience and will wait for me, ya know, it takes some time to write a chappie if you want a good one, that is… -laughs- so you would kick Lucius ass? Well, I bet you're not alone with that opinion – I meant to chock you all a bit.

**Apollonia2:**  
Of course she's till pushing his buttons, that's the funny part of writing the whole lot… but I agree with you, she should try to control herself or other ways… **  
**

**IN T0O DEEP:**  
I'm doing my best over here ;) thanks for reviewing :-)

**Sexy she-devil:**  
Uh-o… who knows what Draco's up to… especially after that "huge" argue… -dun dun-

**Amish Monkey:  
**So you liked "Duster" that's good because I liked it too… thanks for your review, I love when I get credit for my work… :-)

**CharmedLeoLvr: **  
Yeah… Lucius WILL soft up a bit, but not just yet, because then this fanfic would turn into a common "fluffy Lucius" fic and that's just icky :P but never fear, there WILL be love :)

**Brittany Malfoy:  
**Many of my readers wanted to "hurt" him, but as I see it it's necessary for him to do that… when I think of it I think that there will be a party, when the baby's borne… but I can't promise… but needles to say it would be fun to write it…

**A-stargazer:  
**Thanks for a lovely review, I'm glad you like my fic… and I'm glad you consider my writing worthwhile to read… that makes me happy. –smiles- I think you and I have the same opinions when it comes to LM/HG when Lucius turns "good" or Hermione turns "evil" it isn't the same thing anymore… its just… pointless fluff…

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx:**  
Well, sooner or later Lucius will get what's coming to him…

**Hotskittles: **  
Well… I meant her to still be in love with Ron, it would give the fic a bit more action…

**Nightwater:**  
Thank you, thank you :) I'm glad you liked that kind of writing, it makes the fic a bit more exiting to read, no?

**Oliver's Quidditch Crazy:**  
Hi Sam, of course it's alright if you call me Joanna, that's my name after all :) Yes, Duster fills a good function, I thought that Hermione would go insane if she hadn't any friends at that manor shiver I would for sure…

Yeah, Lucius is evil and that's the thing that makes me write, seriously… but he was probably in chock, I mean, he's used to have Narcissa and then – Hermione? In the kitchen with a red towel and a pancake on her head? Man! If I found my brother in the kitchen like that I probably would be in chock for a couple of minutes before I would laugh myself to death… but Lucius, well, I think he was upset because Hermione sank so low as to make her own lunch gasps and then she had the guts to call him stone-age wizard shiver

**Dark Secret1: **  
Yeah… me wonders if I would make a little pre-ship in this fic where Duster's meet a little house-elf girl who he can beard a family with…

**Sitopanaki: **  
Wo-wo-wo! Thanks, you're making me blush –laughs- thanks for a darn cute review :)

**Vodka-tears:**

Thanks, you're seeing it from my point of view… the thing that will fix them together is a very annoying "ferret" but not in the way you might think, I'm not going to introduce a soppy Ferret who wants to meddle… no… :)**  
**

**Storygirl2009: **  
Well – now you know when Hermione will get pregnant, or when the baby will arrive perhaps? And I presume that I will hear from you on hotmail? –shakes head- I don't remember if I answered your last mail or if I didn't… -sighs- its embarrassing to write a new one IF I already have answered you… and its very bold if I'm not answering… write me an email so that we can get the contact going again…

* * *

**Sneak peak:  
**Draco's in the hose, and what did Lucius mean by telling Hermione to stay away from him?


	19. Odio ac aestuo

**Hi everyone!**

Oh… uhm, I'm quite sure that all of you wants to kill me by now, due to the long time gap between the chapters, but I just don't have the time to write anymore, I'm trying, but I'm kinda busy with my new dog (her name is Kira by the way) so I hope you all have patience, I WILL finish this fanfic of! I promise :)

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 19:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Nightwish and is called "End of all hope" read this lyric, it DID inspre me to write this chapter :)

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

But other ways - ENJOY :)

* * *

**Odio ac aestuo – Hate and desire**

_It is the end of all hope  
to lose the child, the faith  
to end all the innocence  
to be someone like me  
_

_This is the birth of all hope  
to have what I once had  
this life un-forgiven  
it will end with a birth  
_

Hermione sat in a chair in Malfoy manor's huge library, she was quiet, and she even turned the pages of '_Magical Artefacts'_ with enormous carefulness, so that they wouldn't produce the slightest sound. Yes, she was hiding, not from the manor's master, but from his son. She hadn't taken Lucius' warning about Draco seriously, she had thought that the albino ferret would be his usual bullying self and throw insults her way, as he'd always done. But she soon discovered that Draco, not only had grown _very_ tall and _very_ powerful but that his obsession with her had grown stronger since their last meeting on her wedding. It was the third day after his arrival that she encountered him in the corridor that leads the way to the dining room…

_No will to wake for this morn  
To see another black rose born  
Deathbed is slowly covered with snow_

_Angels, they fell first but I'm still here  
Alone as they are drawing near  
In heaven my masterpiece will finally be sung_

She had heard footsteps all the way through this corridor; they started to piss her off, the echoing sound hammered against her eardrums in an annoying manner which threatened to drive her insane. She therefore stopped and stared hostilely down the corridor, of course there was no one in sight and the annoying footsteps had halted too. She growled, this was just like in an old movie and she hated it, the classical thing though was that she, just like in those movies, started running. She ran along the corridor, still hearing the creepy footsteps as they too had broke in to a run. She turned around to see if her follower was in sight, of course he wasn't.

She hadn't even noticed that the sound had stopped, she still ran along the corridor and her distracted state may have caused the collision that took place next. Before she knew it she had run straight into a wall, afterwards she blamed that incident on the fact that she had tried to run forward while glancing backwards. With a faint moan she fell to the floor, her head ached and so did her left knee she felt the copper taste in her mouth and when she, with her index finger, touched her lower lip and pulled it away to find blood on it, establishing that she was bleeding.

'_Bullocks_,' she thought and closed her eyes.

"Yoo-hoo, mother dearest!" someone called in a mocking fashion.

'_Malfoy_,' Hermione thought with annoyance without opening her eyes, '_Malfoy junior_.'

"You know, Mudblood, this position rather fits you, sprawled across the floor like garbage," Draco's voice mocked her from above; Hermione growled inwardly, god should know that she hated that prick.

"What the heck do you think that you're playing at ferret?" Hermione hissed as she opened her eyes, only to find Draco's smirking face as he stood bent over her.

"'Playing at', dear mother? What do you mean by that?"

"Why are you following me you, fuck twit!" she sneered and sat up.

"Oh… well, I thought that I might congratulate you… it must be such an honour to be baring a Malfoy child," Draco sneered and took hold of her right hand and dragged her upon her feet again.

"Why, I don't need congrats, Malfoy, because I'm not the slightest thrilled about it myself!" she snapped and struggled to free herself from Draco's grip around her wrist.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mudblood, you're such a martyr, I bet you liked it," Draco's eyes narrowed at her, all of a sudden all traces of the annoying Ferret gone, instead of him there stood a powerful wizard who's features didn't seem exactly friendly.

"Liked what, you miserable excuse of a wizard!" Hermione sneered, still keeping herself busy with her struggle with Draco's painful grip around her wrist.

"Don't pretend that you don't know what I am referring to," he hissed.

"What exactly am I supposed to have 'liked' you fuck twit?" she spat back.

"Your wedding night, _Hermione_, tell me, was he good? I've been told that my father is skilled, though he might have forgotten how to please a woman by now," Draco's eyes had narrowed into tiny slits as he watched her.

"That was the rudest question I've ever been asked!" Hermione gasped, "And why do you care? If you are so interested in you father's sex life why don't you go and ask _him_ about it? Or even better, try to seduce him and you'll know for sure!"

"That'll do, Mudblood; one more insult from you and you'll find yourself in a lot of trouble!" his voice was dangerous soft as he spoke the last words, he sounded a lot like his old man when he did that.

"Oh, so what are you going to do, _Draco_?" She spat his name like she would have spat an insult, "Are you going to cast one of the Unforgivables on me? Or maybe you're going to hit me? Abuse me or throw 'Mudblood' at me until I faint?"

Draco was about to open his mouth to send her a retort, but he closed it again sending her a Malfoy trademark sneer instead. Hermione sneered back, clearly he was speechless and everything he said was clearly empty threats, as they've always been. She tore her arm loose from his grip and then turned on her heel, leaving him behind. But what he said next made her freeze in her pace:

"You know what 'Mione? If you're child is to come to this world then it would be my bane, because my father would value it higher then me… if the myth is true that is, and my father is convinced that it is…..powerful, ancient magic indeed!"

"What are you talking about, ferret?" she questioned and turned around to stare at him.

"The Virgin's suit of course…" he drawled, "That and your blood mixed, two powerful individuals strengthened by the ancient 'golden wedding ritual' will give birth to a mighty wizard and my father only cares about power. A powerful child, whether it's reared from dirty blood or not will take my place as the only heir of the Malfoy fortune!"

"So you're telling me that you're seeing my unborn child as a threat?" Hermione gasped, Draco's pronouncement sent cold shivers down her spine.

"Wouldn't you, _mother_?" he hissed, "My father told me about the Virgin's suit when I arrived here, can you imagine the shock? And when I found out that you were pregnant as a result of the wedding night? Hermione, Hermione, Hermione… you have no idea about how _pissed off_ I was!"

"So you're planning to kill your father's unborn child?" Hermione felt cold as Draco's eyes were lit up by a hungry fire, "How could you be so cold? I'm sure that Lucius won't leave you without any heritage at all, that is _IF_ the myth about the 'golden wedding' is true. I myself doubt it."

"Of course he won't leave me without a fair share of his fortune, he told me that… but it's the _principle_. I've stayed true to him through all of his small blunders, even when an _accident_ killed my mother I stayed true to him and how am I rewarded? He tells me that a dirty _half-blood_ will have my heritage!"

"You're sick…" Hermione whispered and without noticing she covered her stomach with her hands, the gesture didn't pass Draco by, he laughed and spoke in a velvet voice.

"Come to think of it, I might take something away from my father, just to remind him of my presence… remember the heart, Hermione?"

Hermione stared down at Draco's wedding gift which he had forced upon her, previously it had glowed in a red shade of gold, but as she watched it now it wasn't gold anymore, it was silver that glowed with a blue light.

"You've surely read about those pretty little things, too bad that the charm allows the donator to… how to put it?...Allows the donator to take control over the receiver in about an hour… that is, when the heart is ripe, it will change colour one more time before I can have my fair share of the cake, and then Hermione you'll see what I am going to do about that filthy bastard you're carrying."

"You're insane, Malfoy! Do you really think that I am going to keep this blasted heart? And do you think that I am going to walk around with the knowledge about what you're planning, without telling any one? Do you think that your father would let you stay one more minute in this house if he knew what you're plotting?"

"Of course not, Hermione, the funny thing is that the heart prevents you from talking with any one about its delicate side effects, and there's no way to take it off because you won't be able to… ah, the pure miracle of magic!" Draco laughed and turned around, walking down the corridor while singing a song with mirthful voice.

_  
Wounded is the deer that leaps highest  
And my wound it cuts so deep  
Turn off the light and let me pull the plug_

_  
_Hermione shivered at the mere memory, and the fear took a tight grip around her stomach as a result, she had actually tried to take the necklace, she had even tried to tell Duster, but nothing had worked.

The necklace still hung around her neck and it sparkled mirthfully at her feeble attempts to tear it loose from her neck. But Malfoy Junior had overlooked one thing, namely Hermione's congenital skill in researching… and at this time she used it with maximum force. Amongst the titles she had unearthed in the Malfoy library was '_Dark Charms_' '_Dark Artefacts_' '_Charmed Artefacts_' '_How to Make Your Wish Come True_' '_Memory Charms_' and of course the one she was reading right now, '_Magical Artefacts_'.

'_This is going to take decades_!' she thought as she once again turned a page.

Her eyes scanned through this page, only to find nothing but information about '_Dancing Spoons_' and '_Why your teapot sings the Macedonian national song_'. It was frustrating really, mainly because she didn't know what she was looking for; her experience told her that the description of a charmed necklace would fit in just everywhere so she had to find out a way to be more specific.

'_Oh god, I miss the internet! If wizards only could have search engines, then I wouldn't have to browse through a thousand pages to find what I am looking for!_'

'_If only there was a charm which traced words or even better, sentences!_'

'_Wait a minute_…' She began fumbling inside her robe pocket and after a while she found her wand.

'_This will do the trick, if I modify the spell a tiny bit... an extra sentence, but which shall I choose? Latin is good, it won't do to use English, it's too unprofessional… hmm… yes, that's it_!'

"_Ex Libris, bewitched necklace_!"

The book before her shook violently and as if an invisible hand started browsing through the pages she saw how one yellowish page flipped by, suddenly an image and a rubric stared at her from inside the book…

"Oh my goodness!"

_Mandylion without a face  
Deathwish without a prayer  
End of hope  
End of love  
End of time  
The rest is silence_

_

* * *

_

Sneak peak: What has Hermione found out? What's Duster doing and what about Draco's plan? Well even see more of Lucius – I'll see you there:)

Thanks to all of my reviewers I totally adore you!


	20. Shock

**Hi everyone!**

Right! I'm quite proud over myself, I succeeded to finish this chapter off fairly quickly so that you didn't have to wait for so long, I just hope that you will show patience with next update to.

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 19:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Children of bodom and is called "Follow the reaper"

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

ENJOY :)

* * *

**Shock**

_Loosing the war I'm feeling to win  
though I never tried to, to strive deep  
from within. Life could be beautiful  
for anybody it's for, but I'd swear this  
mothafuckin' shit is rotten to the core.  
_

"Oh my goodness!"

She felt like she was falling down in a deep, black hole. The image and the text stared mercilessly back at her, she could hear the pumping sound of blood that rushed through her head in her eardrums. She wanted to scream from the horror but still she wanted to stay quiet so that she could disappear from the face of earth. The picture before her was an old ink sketch, it portrayed a woman on her knees, and around her neck Hermione clearly could see the necklace. Before the woman Hermione saw a hooded figure and it held a lead in its hand; the lead was connected to the necklace.

The woman's eyes were shut, she looked like she was in a trance and over her head an hourglass hung, Hermione's eyes looked at the sand that slowly crept down to the bottom of the hourglass, the whole picture was like an ordinary muggle picture, but the sand moved….Hermione was sure of it. She wanted to close her eyes, she didn't want to read what she saw on the yellowish paper, but she had to and the words crept, without any obstacles to stop them, into her head.

'_Satan's hjärta (Swedish), Diabolus viscus (Latin), or devil's heart, as it is called in English, is a dark artefact produced in Kirruna, Sweden. From the very beginning it served like the Imperio curse, that was at the time before the Unforgivables. The old magic is close to impossible to stop, once the heart (in a form of a necklace, ring or earring) is on its place on the victim's body. The only way to remove it is to remove the body part on which it's fastened to_.'

'_Insanity_!' Hermione thought and swallowed, '_I can't remove my neck if I want to keep living_!'

She nervously wriggled her hands and felt the cold sweat as it broke through and tickled down her back. She turned the page, only to find another old picture portraying a man, who was under the influence of the necklace, seemingly carving his own bowels from inside his stomach.

'_Oh my god, can one make another do that to oneself_?' she thought and tried to take control over her violently shaking hands, '_Then it wouldn't be any problems for Draco to… to make me lose my child._'

'_There has to be a counter spell, a potion, anything_!' she frantically thought and scanned through the page, and she found one sentence that awoke a sudden light of hope:

'_The heart of the devil flees before bravery and is only strengthened by cowardliness._'

Hermione sank backwards in her chair, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. How was she going to show bravery? How could bravery be shown to a dead object? Then suddenly a slippery voice from her first year at Hogwarts spoke inside her head:

'_You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. I don't expect that you really will understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins. Bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach._'

'_Bottle fame,_' Hermione thought, '_If one could bottle fame, then why couldn't bravery be bottled_?'

"That's it!" she cheered and got up from her chair, totally forgetting that she had to be quiet.

She stormed through the library, zigzagged in-between the historical section and the charm section and then passed the astronomy section with hasty steps and was finally in front of the huge potion section; the huge 'advanced' potions shelf to be exact.

"They have to have it here," she whispered and traced the spine of the books with her index finger, reading the titles slowly to herself, "_Most Potente Potions_, _Magical Drafts and Potions_, _Deadly and Poisonous Potions_, _Dangerous Potions_, _Fearful Potions_, _Famous Potions_, _Potions for the Potions Master_, _Potions for the Mind of a Dragon_, _Potions From the 17th Century_ and…"

Hermione almost felt happiness as her finger landed on a very eagerly awaited title; '_Danger, Love and Other Emotional Potions_'. This book belonged at the restricted section in Hogwarts library, especially since a Hufflepuff student one year below Hermione had tried the love potion on her friend. Hermione sighed, it had ended in catastrophe, and the receiver of the potion ended up falling in love with Mrs Norris as the dumb girl had succeeded to drop a cat hair in the potion.

Hermione wandered back to her comfortable armchair in which she had been resting in before. She flopped down in a lazy manner and then started to browse through the book, hoping to find the right potion. After browsing past the love potion, the hate potion, the joy potion, the fear potion and the danger potion Hermione finally found the right one; the bravery potion.

'_This one looks fairly easy,_' she thought and traced down the ingredient list.

"Hmm… one bezoar, some black beetle eyes, powdered daisy roots… these things would be fairly easy to find in an ordinary potions cupboard," she hummed to herself, "But the dragon blood will be very hard to find, especially as it's forbidden on the common market."

Her eyes fell on the last ingredient and her heart froze, _THAT_ ingredient would be very hard to find, mainly because that ingredient was only used in the dark arts. It was also so rare, it almost doesn't exist.

"A powdered vampire tooth," Hermione whispered and rubbed her eyes tiredly, "After the war there are almost no vampires left!"

'_Well, in a ghostly manor such as this I'm pretty sure that they have a vampire or two,'_ she thought and sneered.

"Duster…" she whispered.

"Yes friend, Hermione," a squeaky voice called behind her.

"Shhh, Duster!" Hermione hissed and glanced around the library, just to establish that Draco wasn't in sight, "I need you to do me a favour…"

"Oh… Duster will gladly help Hermione; Duster's Hermione's personal servant now, Duster will do anything for Hermione."

"Cut it out already, I told you, you are _not_ my servant; you are my friend," Hermione irritably told the little elf, "Do you know if this manor holds any room for potions making?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes! Malfoy manor has a _huge_ room down in the dungeon where master keeps his cauldrons and other creepy stuff, yes, yes! Would Hermione like Duster to show her?"

"I would love you to show me, Duster," Hermione told the little elf and petted him on his head.

"Then Duster will show her," Duster happily squeaked as Hermione grabbed '_Danger, Love and Other Emotional Potions_' and followed the little elf as he in a hastily hurried through the library.

_  
The portal has been past and it's  
time to make a turn, to follow the reaper  
until the point of no return.  
_

_When your blindly death-raying blade  
sweeps the grief's and fears away.  
I cross my heart and hope to die thy freedom  
will be mine._

Lucius sat in the living room; he was half-heartedly playing a round of wizard chess with the bewitched chessboard. Today was his day off; today he wouldn't raise a finger to convince some slow ministerial employee that he was good Minister material.

One thing worried him though; Hermione. He didn't see her much and the last time he spoke to her she seemed scared, though he hadn't even uttered a word to her which could be taken for a threat, in fact, he hadn't spoken to her that much at all since he got wind of their growing child.

'_Draco,_' he grimly thought and clenched his jaws.

He had thought that his son would understand the profits with having the new child as the heir of the Malfoy fortune and name. If the legend was true about the Golden Wedding and the Virgin's suit then Lucius was sure about that their, his and Hermione's, child would grow to be the most powerful wizard since the great Merlin. But Draco didn't understand and he refused to accept the fact that Hermione, a Mudblood, would bare the next Malfoy leader.

'_But imagine the power_…' Lucius thought, '_Imagine the power it would bring to my family name if the next Malfoy would live to be this time's most powerful wizard, even more powerful then the bloody brat Potter._'

He had bad suspicions regarding Draco; he fully well knew what he was capable of, especially after the Great War. That boy had a lot of dangerous feelings, especially lust and hate, a bad combination if one would ask Lucius. A Malfoy should be cool, calculating and superior. Feelings such as hate were below them; hate could make a person do something irrational, which that person maybe would live to regret. Lust though, wasn't a bad feeling; lust was like a craving, a craving that lead to that one day where one would achieve one's goal.

_Sinking down in the ocean of severe emotion,  
grab a bottle to drink up the pain-relieving potion.  
But after all, that got boring too, so no matter  
what happens, I couldn't give a damn or too.  
_

Hermione wiped the sweat from her forehead, she had been in this dungeon every day for the past fourteen weeks; she was exhausted and on top of it all her pregnancy started to show. She was in her seventeenth week, which meant that her stomach was now bulging out.

She hadn't seen much from Draco, and Lucius for that matter; she saw him in the evenings, and even then she always pretended to be asleep. It had worked well that way, when he would enter the bedroom she always made sure that she looked asleep. He hadn't tried to wake her and she hadn't tried to disturb him, not a happy marriage, but Hermione had gotten used to it.

'_Yes_!' She triumphed as she added the last ingredient; the powdered vampire tooth.

One good thing with being a Malfoy was that she could easily get things she otherwise wouldn't be able to even get close to. The powdered vampire tooth she had bought through a strange looking man in Knockturn Alley, and the dragon blood, which she had considered hard to get, was easily handled at Borgin & Burkes, the owner had almost sucked up to her to the limit where she normally would have fainted.

Her potion gave a strange sound and the cauldron shook violently as the last shimmering powder landed on the green surface. There was a violent explosion and Hermione backed away from her potion. When she dared to take a peek she found that her potion had turned blood red.

"Finished," she breathed and stared at her masterpiece.

She drew a deep breath, this was it, and if she succeeded then she would go straight to Lucius and tell him about Draco's plan. She thought it was funny, she, the Gryffindor extraordinaire, the Muggle-born witch would run to the former Death Eater for protection.

'_As if I have a choice,_' she thought as she filled a mug with the blood red, watery potion.

"Bottoms up," she weakly spoke and gulped down the scalding hot potion.

She became dizzy and had to take support from the cauldron so that she wouldn't fall to the ground. The room spun wildly around her, she drew a raspy breath and with careful motions she seated herself on the cold dungeon floor.

'_This isn't the way it's supposed to be_,' she thought as she made a weak attempt to throw up.

'_I must have made a mistake somewhere… oh no… the dragon blood_!'

She lost control over the situation and fell headlong into the awaiting darkness; inside her she could hear the cry of her unborn child. She heard two hearts steadily beating inside her.

_The portal has been past 'til the  
point of no return. No more lines to cross,  
no bridges to burn.  
_

_Now when your blindly death-raying blade  
swept my grief's and tears away. I'd never go back  
to cross that line.  
I cross my heart and hope to die._

In one part of the manor Lucius awoke in his chair, he heard a baby's cry, and it echoed inside him and rose in power. Something was wrong, very wrong. He knew that it was Hermione, he just knew it, but he wasn't sure what it was about and…

'_Where is she_?' he thought, '_Who knows where she is_?'

"Duster!"

And in another part of the manor an equally blond man could hear the fanatic sound of a crying child. Draco rose from his chair, a smirk was pasted on his lips; maybe he didn't even need to use the Devil's Heart to get rid of the devil spawn.

* * *

Sneak Peak:

What went wrong with the potion? How did that affect Hermione? How is Draco's "plan" progressing? And what are Lucius suspecting?


	21. Total Immortal

**Hi everyone!**

Right! I'm quite proud over myself, I succeeded to finish this chapter off fairly quickly so that you didn't have to wait for so long, and I just hope that you will show patience with next update to.

**Disclaimer:** They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 21:th time

**Disclaimer:** The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to AFI and is called "Total Immortal" I know that some of you are disturbed by me choosing to ad lyrics to my fic, but to me its quit hard to stop now, I hope you'll understand this and overlook it.

All credit touching grammar, spelling or stuff like that goes to my beta shyngr8 (shy-n-great)

ENJOY :)

* * *

**Total Immortal**

_Hope unknown  
Sometimes just waking is surreal  
I pass right through the nameless ones  
I know that hope's unknown  
Sometimes the water feels so real  
as I walk through it fills my lungs  
my god I'm drowning  
_

As you hear your own heart beat with a raging rhythm you'll find yourself wondering how long it would take before it beats through your chest. You would like to put your arms around your chest to prevent it from splitting in two, but you find that you aren't capable of doing so.

The thumping sound of blood, echoed in her head, a cry from inside her seemed to echo in the whole manor, but Hermione seriously thought that it was her imagination that was playing a prank. Darkness swirled around her head and made her see the strangest things ever. Flying chairs that old friends sat on and smiled at her. Books flew before her eyes, large books with swan wings and around her she saw dark shadows.

Flashes of the past took its hold on her; especially one event, it seemed to be forever stuck in her mind. A dark dungeon, one man, dressed in black and with a white mask. She told herself that she would forget it and thank the gods and whatever powerful forces that existed in the world that she made it out of there. How she ended up there was a mystery even to her, they all said it had to be a portkey. But she doubted it, how could '_Advanced Charms IV_' in _Hogwarts_ library be a portkey? She remembered the cold voice of the man guarding her, and it was not from the time in the dungeon…

"_You haff a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny"_

"_A water beetle…"_

It seemed as if that simple, sweet and gentle voice easily switched over to a dangerous, stern and lunatic voice which in perfect English yelled:

"_You're going to die, Mudblood. Scream for me!" _

_Hermione's body lay listless on a dark dungeon floor, a man in a white mask stood bent over her; he had his wand directed at her throat as he, with enormous satisfaction, screamed a curse. She screamed, screamed for him and he laughed, laughed as if there was no tomorrow._

"_Scream for me."_

"_Scream."_

It would never stop, it continued every night. She would wake in the middle of the night, still hearing one sentence as it repeated in her head: Scream, scream for me! And she used to scream, she used to cry, she used to stop breathing as she remembered the pain, the agony, the fear… the _darkness_. It was from there the fear had sprung, the fear of the dark.

"_Scream for me_!"

"_What if I refuse_?" She suddenly found herself yelling, "_What if I refuse to play your sick game anymore?_"

She saw sweet confusion as it played on a much hated face. How his eyes widened and how he seemed to lose his grip. Was power that easily captured? Was it just to put up against the pain? It was so much easier to give in and so much harder to fight it. But she was so sick of it, the way she had to re-live her worst nightmare day after day.

"_Scream, Mudblood! I know you want to! Isn't that right Herm-own-ninny?"_

"_I don't want to, you sick excuse for a human being!"_

It stopped… the rushing adrenaline and the furious heart beat in her chest. Someone but herself had decided that it wasn't time to go just yet. She opened her eyelids and heard a faint gurgling sound from inside; she felt the little being move inside her. She saw him then, a little boy with chocolate brown sparkling eyes, wavy golden brown hair and smooth, pale skin.

'_That's… that's my son…_' she thought with tears in her eyes.

She rose from the cold dungeon floor and staggered towards the nearest wall, searching for support. Everything was going back to normal and she felt relieved, for one moment she really doubted it. She knew where she had done the mistake, it was so tiny that it was very strange that it even effected the potion… it was the dragon blood; it should have been added just six or seven seconds earlier.

'_I have to blame my growing stomach… I'm not as flexible as I used to be,_' she thought and caressed her growing body.

"Mrs Hermione!" The door burst open and in came Duster, and he had a particular somebody in tow…

"What's happening in here?" Lucius asked, his voice was suspicious and cold as usual, but Hermione thought that she caught a glimpse of concern in his eyes.

"I'm… I'm making a potion, or rather – I made a potion," Hermione answered, making a large effort to calm herself; if the potion had succeeded then this would be the moment that she would tell her husband.

"What for?" Lucius still stood in the doorframe, not making a single gesture that told Hermione that he intended to move towards her.

"I… it's a… bravery potion," Hermione managed to stutter. It felt as if something deep inside struggled to keep the words inside her.

"And why would you be making such a potion?" he questioned as his voice crept down to that dangerous level again, that infamous purring voice that sent shivers down the spine of those it was directed towards.

"I'm… its, well…" she couldn't say anymore, the Devil's Heart still kept her from saying another word or even utter Draco's name.

"Don't play these silly games with me, Hermione… you know I don't like them." At that moment Hermione knew that he would start to move towards her and of course he, just as she thought that, started to move in her direction.

She watched his dangerous flexible movements and the way he held his icy grey eyes transfixed on her. He looked like a smooth hunter, a Siberian tiger with its powerful body and deep ice blue eyes. He was superior to her in every way when it came to body strength, which had been clear from the first moment he got hold of her. Maybe, in the past she had been able to run from him, but not in her pregnant state. And after all, why should she run? She tried to save her and _his_ son's lives!

"Don't do this, Lucius, you don't know what it feels like… you don't know!" she tried to plead to him. Why bother pleading though? She didn't know. She was very well aware of the fact that he didn't respond to that kind of persuasion.

"You're hiding something from me, something was very wrong just a couple of minutes ago… I heard… heard a baby's cry. If you're hiding something about our child from me then you are in serious trouble, that child is precious to me!" He reached out and grabbed her chin, titling her head so that their eyes met.

"I… I can't! Please, I can't tell you!"

"Then show me," he whispered and she felt how his mind invaded hers.

Normally she would have fought it, she knew that she could master Lucius Malfoy; he wasn't a master in Occlumency and mind reading as Snape, Voldemort or Dumbledore was and had been. But she wanted him to see. It was silly really, how she hadn't thought about it, maybe Lucius could _see_ what she knew.

But nothing went as planned as the Devil's Heart evidently affected not only her speech but her thoughts also. What her mind allowed Lucius to see was pictures from her childhood, her parents, her first day at Hogwarts, a troll and a toilet, her and Ron kissing for the first time and her and Harry crying for Ron as he lay on the ground.

"Don't fight me, Hermione," Lucius sneered and his eyes narrowed, "If you do, then I know that you're hiding something from me… and we can't have that now can we?"

"I w-w-want to show you," she managed and looked truthfully into his eyes.

She shook her head so that he lost his grip around her, then she made it towards the door, he didn't follow her. He stood there, watching her with suspicion playing in his eyes; Hermione slammed the door shut leaving a baffled Duster and a thoughtful Lucius behind.

_I hear them calling  
I feel them gnawing out holes,  
Holes through flawless souls.  
I hear them calling  
I feel them gnawing out holes,  
Holes through flawless, flawless souls.  
_

Lucius Malfoy watched her leave, something wasn't right, why was she brewing a Bravery potion? Why had she seemed so scared? And _why_ had she seemed so sad? Almost as if she… trusted him? It disturbed him, disturbed him to the limit where he soon would burst. It had to be something regarding their child, he just knew it.

'_I want to show you._'

That sentence disturbed him most of all, because those single words had sprung from trust and… sadness. Those feelings Lucius hadn't ever had directed towards himself, he had however had felt the opposite many times before… distrust, hatred, desire, fear and respect. But never trust, never ever in his whole life, and that bugged him, it bugged him seriously.

"Duster…"

"Yes, master," stuttered the little elf and tiptoed towards him.

"Keep an eye on her; tell me everything you see; not because I want to harm her, but because I don't want anything to happen to her _or_ the child. Draco is up to something and I seriously doubt that it's innocent, he wants something."

"Yes master, Duster will tell master anything he wishes if it can help Duster's f-f-friend Hermione."

So the little elf considered Hermione his friend? Not servant but friend? Lucius knew that that had been Hermione's final goal in her struggle to free the house-elves; to befriend them, make them her equal. Lucius didn't like it, in fact, he despised the poor, dirty little bugging and creeping creatures, but maybe could he make use of Duster's loyalty towards Hermione.

"Good, Duster, if you keep focused on your task then I might consider setting you free and hire you as Hermione's and the future child's personal servant, _with_ wages and break time at Christmas and around Easter."

"M-m-my master wants to s-s-set Duster free? Give Duster wages?" The little creature looked as if he was about to faint.

"Only if you leave me _now_!" bellowed Lucius and saw with an enormous satisfaction how Duster squealed and sprinted towards the door, opened it and disappeared.

When the sound of Duster's running footsteps had died away did Lucius sit down on the dungeon floor to consider the situation. He closed his eyes and searched with other senses through the room, in hope to find a clue about Hermione, her potion and the fear she were hunted by.

"You're frightened," He mumbled, "You're frightened and… tidy…?"

"You make a mistake… something goes wrong, yet you struggle to keep the fear at place," He scanned through the room, everything screamed perfection, orderliness and well, Hermione, "Yes, it's very much fear in here… but it's too… far away? It's like a dark cloud in the horizon, you know it will reach you and you are struggling to build a shelter. But your hands do not obey your order… the shelter demolishes around you, everything is in chaos…"

Lucius closed his eyes, she knew something he didn't. Something either way scared her to silence or forced her to silence and Lucius knew it wasn't him. But he recognized it, the way his earlier victims had looked at everyone in their environment. Trying to tell something with their eyes, their rigid way of moving, their pleading voice, their fake smile and insurance about everything being "okay" and that "it's nothing to worry about, I'm just tired" and "it's a lot of stress in the office these days".

"It's about Draco," he growled, his son had done something and he would be very pleased to make Draco speak.

_  
So alone  
sometimes I swear that I can hear  
the taunting of the voiceless ones  
I fear that I alone  
_

_Fear those who finally ceased to feel  
that they're alone inside this place  
I am the misplaced_

Draco sat very still; the furious cry from the baby had died away and he didn't know if that was a good or bad sign. Knowing Hermione he knew that she struggled to find away to rid herself from the Devil's Heart, that wasn't an assumption; it was a fact. He knew that she had spent long days and long nights, from sunrise to sunset in the library and maybe, maybe had she found a way to get rid of the by now silvery glowing heart.

'_But probably not… I've made some research myself and I know that the only way to get rid of the spell is to cut off the body part on which the heart is fastened… too bad fro her that I chose the necklace._'

Then he heard footsteps outside his door, and then a steady knock on the door. At first he was surprised, who was it at this time of day? The clock showed 8:00 pm. a rather strange time to get visitors.

"Come in," he called and saw how the door swung open and displayed who his visitor was; his dad.

"Good evening, Draco," his old man entered his room in the usual Malfoyish manner.

"Good evening, father," greeted Draco sternly and narrowed his eyes, his father didn't usually pay him visits at this time of the evening, not even when their relationship was at its best.

"Have you cooled down yet?" asked Lucius and sent his son a cold glare.

"I don't know what you are referring to, dear father," Draco answered but he made sure that he didn't meet his father's eyes; Draco had never been good at blocking Occlumency and even though his father wasn't a master in the subject, Draco did know that he was skilled.

"Oh but I think you do, dearest son."

"If you are talking about your Devil spawn then we're not on the same level, I don't think it's fair but you do, so just let it be there!" yelled Draco and narrowed his eyes.

"If I get the slightest sign of you interfering in my business, Draco, then I'll assure you that you've taken yourself into deep water, being my son or not!" Lucius stared his son down with that look upon his face that scared many living souls.

"Don't tire yourself to death, old man," muttered Draco and sneered, a sneer which only could be surpassed by one man, namely his father.

"I'll find out what you are plotting, Draco, if you are plotting something. But maybe it's just your usual whining that's taken a bigger discharge then usual," Lucius spat and left the room. He didn't slam the door as any other human would do. No, Draco's father was far more superior to do that kind of foolish, childish gesture.

"Bigger discharge then usual, my ass!" snorted Draco and threw the closed door a hateful glance.

'_I'll give you a bigger discharge and you'll never be able to stop it!_'

Draco turned his attention to a small crystal ball that was now a silvery colour and shone with a deep shade of blue… soon it would turn transparent and glow in all kinds of sparkling colours. Then the heart would be ripe. Then he would pay dear Hermione a little visit. Draco's hand searched for his wand and twirled it around his long, pale fingers.

_This day never seems to end  
(this pain never)  
This day never seems to end  
This rage I can not let go  
I hear them calling  
I feel them gnawing out holes through all our flawless souls  
_

He opened the door to their chamber, the light was out and he saw his young wife's petite body under the silk sheets. She tossed in her sleep, mumbling faint sentences, clutched her hands around the lining of her pillow. She looked so weak, so lonely, and so desirable.

"Something isn't right with you," he mumbled and walked over to her side of the bed.

"I won't scream! Leave me be!" she suddenly screamed.

He had heard it before, numerous nights when he entered their chambers he heard her alternately scream, alternately whine and cry. He hadn't paid it much attention; many suffered such nightmares after the war. He himself hadn't had those dreams; he told himself that he was far more blunted to have such visions and horrible sights when he closed his eyes. To be honest he enjoyed those dreams, they made him remember the power, the sweet fear and the wonderful screams that rose from a human beings throat when the Cruciatus was thrown at them.

It was sick and he knew it, though it was pleasant sickness for him. And he didn't suffer from a troubled conscience, it hadn't even struck him that he could do so, and after all, why should he? He didn't kill randomly, he wasn't a psychotic serial killer; he was a professional. At one point in his youth he did actually consider being an assassin, back then it felt like an exiting job. However, his father, Leopold, didn't quite agree.

'_My son, the chalk of an assassin isn't the path for you. You were born to be a politician, your manipulate skills are superior and you ought to make use of them._'

"Devil's Heart!" Hermione's unsuspected cry awoke him from his pondering.

'_Devil's Heart_?'

He caught a glimpse of the silvery necklace around her beautiful neck, hadn't it previously been in gold? Was it his mind that played him a trick? Where had she got it? He couldn't remember if she had it when he first met her in the dungeon. When had she got it?

"Devil's heart…"

_  
Now every face, it looks familiar  
Then every face would melt away until  
Now everyone, do you know I know your deception?  
I hear them calling  
I feel them gnawing out holes through all our flawless souls_

And look what I've done! I've taken time to give feedbacks on reviews! Aren't you all proud of me? It doesn't happen that often you know. Maybe I'm ill? Or it's just that that I feel guilty that I haven't answered your lovely reviews? Anyway, here they are and if I missed someone, e-mail me and scream or something threaten me to blow up my letterbox! And btw, further down you'll find the sneak peak, just as usual – see you all in next chapter!

Lovethelab:

Thanks for the review! Well, now you know what went wrong –tsk, tsk, tsk– it's not a good idea to be making a potion when you're not fast enough to catch up with the potion in its critical state.

Dark Secret1:

Hey Sara! How are you? There was a long time since I heard from you! Yeah, she sure should check that more frequently, but it wasn't anything wrong with the ingredients ;) but I do quite agree with you, the ones who sell ingredients in Knockturn Alley aren't to be trusted! Don't you worry though, I'm sure that Lucius ol' dad will find out what's happening and then we'll only hope that our dearest ferret will get out of the manor alive -smirks-

Slymom:   
Oh so you think it is a love story? –Wrinkles nose– am I that predictable? Actually I'm planning to have love (or something of the like) in the end… but the don't seem to be in love now, do they?  
–Worried–

CareBearErin:   
Hi! You just don't know how glad I am to read your comment, it makes me happy! And I'm to glad that you found my fic, it's always nice to have new and fresh reviews ;) they use to be longer then!

You like my characterizing of Lucius, Hermione and Draco? I must say that I like them to, Hermione perhaps is a bit out of character, she's a bit too frightened, but other ways I like her to. Especially the way I succeeded to avoid "beauty queen Granger". Draco is funny because he'll always put up quite the show, I mean, consider murdering your father's unborn child? Well, he IS a Malfoy for sure.

Yeah, Duster was a little thought that popped up in my head while reading through _the_ _philosopher's stone_ (again) I'm, just sooooo in love with Dobby so I just had to create my own house elf! No, Impero was something I myself hadn't predicted when I first wrote about the necklace, actually, I didn't know what Draco wanted with it when he gave it to her.

Hmm… about Lucius, well, he HAD to cool down a bit other ways I wouldn't succeed with the difficulties of love in the end. But he IS a complicated man and very power hungry so it came naturally that he would do everything in his power to have Hermione have this child as its possible to be the most powerful wizard since Merlin.

Earth-guide:

Laughs- one of "those" kinds of writers? It doesn't sounds too good, I know that cliff angers are quite disturbing, but they are a very good way for me to end a chapter… you see, it will keep you at edge while they're intruding me to write another –smirks– hope you'll forgive me :)

I know what you mean by saying that HR is a bit ooc, but it's quite hard to break the pattern while it's settled. I myself was fairly tired of these heroic Hermione's that laughed the very Voldemort straight in his face so I decided to make a more cowardly but more morally Hermione. I think that I maybe went too far, but she's based upon me, and I know how I would have reacted in her place, that's for sure. Though I appreciate your review, it's good with constrictive criticism.

Oliver's Quidditch Crazy:

Oh, hey Sam! Always a pleasure to read your reviews, they always perks me up a bit, I'm glad that they're never seems to be missing! Because they always makes my day :)

Oh thanks! I'm finding it quite disturbing when authors introduce new things of which you haven't read about before, and then don't tell us anything about them… that makes the fic a bit false.

Smirks- the baby is more then alright, he will play an important part in the aftermath of this fic… poor Draco, he'll never know what hit him. -Whoops! Now I'm telling you to much-. Yeah, Hermione loves her child, just as you mentioned, which mother doesn't? Well, save for those who have psychological problems, but that isn't an option in Hermione's case.

Yeah, Draco is a very bad, bad boy! But I guess that's the way it turns out when you're spoiling your child, they think that they can get away with everything, and GET everything they want. Ah… I liked that idea about making the baby immensely brave! -Laughs- imagine Lucius face when he finds out that the sorting hat screamed: "Gryffindor!" instead of "Slytherin!" Oboy, he would have a heart attack, that's for sure. Don't be surprised if I steal that idea from you!

I'd also like to thank:

XxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx, Mary, Redneck chick, MysteriousNeptune17, Hotskittles, Raspberri13, Riley Black, Britt and Amishgirl281!

For reviewing on my fic, its you who keeps me going when I have hard time writing what I want to write, or when I don't KNOW what to write, you're all a great support!

**Sneak Peak:** Lucius plays Sherlock Holmes again; Draco soon will discover that something actually went wrong when Hermione drank the bravery potion, but not what we all think… maybe the amazing bouncing Ferret could carry out his plan anyway? And poor Hermione's stomach is growing larger, and then there is that dark night when Lucius is gone…


End file.
